Beyond Narnia
by ivory-sword
Summary: This is the SEQUEL to my story "Aslan's Return". Based off of C.S. Lewis's characters and some of my own made up characters. Peace is restored to Narnia and now Caspian and Eve explore the different worlds within The Wood Between Worlds.
1. Chapter 1

Part One: Narnia Reborn

_He had been waiting so long to escape – trapped in a world of desolation and despair. Amidst the misery grew an even stronger emotion: hunger. Not hunger for food but for revenge. Revenge against _He_ who had trapped him here. He vowed to find a way to escape and when he did, he would wreck havoc against his enemy. He would destroy Aslan's Land. _

. . .

"Do you see that apple? On that third tree there?"

"You mean that tiny, red dot?"

Eve rolled her eyes. "Just shoot."

Caspian raised his bow, dark eyes narrowed in concentration. Eve looked for something to correct in his form, but it was perfect, as always. The sound of an arrow slicing the air stirred Eve from her thoughts. Caspian had released the arrow. She watched its flight and was inwardly satisfied when the arrow missed the apple by a breath.

"So close, Caspian. Now let me try." Caspian narrowed his eyes but nodded, stepping back. Eve raised her bow and pointed the arrow at the apple. She squinted for a moment and then released. Seconds later there was a satisfying 'thump' as her arrow embedded itself in the middle of the apple, knocking it to the ground. Eve had to keep herself from exclaiming 'ha!' out loud.

"That's cheating, you know," Caspian retorted as Eve picked up the apple to show him. He pulled the red, feathered arrow out of the apple. "Queen Susan's bow never misses."

"Now that's hardly fair to accuse me of cheating. I don't think the arrow would have hit the apple if I had pointed in the opposite direction," Eve teased. "You just don't want to admit I'm better than you at archery."

Caspian furrowed his brow, looking almost angry for a moment. "Well, I suppose I get all the credit for teaching you, then." He couldn't keep the smile from forming on his lips.

Eve laughed and shoved his shoulder playfully, heading back toward her horse. Caspian caught her arm and pulled her into a kiss. It was innocent and lasted only a few seconds, but it meant everything to Eve.

"Good thing I can still handle a sword better than you," Caspian said after they had pulled apart. Eve smiled.

"For now."

The verdant green of early spring had spread throughout Narnia, enveloping the apple orchard in contrasting shades. The red apples and the green blades of fresh grass swayed together in the light breeze and the cloudless sky hung as a blue blanket over the world. Winter had come and gone peacefully, though Eve knew many of the stories about the White Witch and her one hundred year winter. Spring had crept into the frozen ground, thawing it and melting the snow. Birds had flown back to rejoice the changing seasons with their songs and the sun began to shine for longer hours.

Eve had lived in Narnia for nearly three years now. A day didn't pass that she didn't think about home. But _Narnia_ was home now. London was just a distant memory, filled with pain and despair. Eve still had nightmares about the car crash. She would feel the fear and hear the screeching of the breaks and then the impact of the car as it hit the rocks hidden below the surface of the water. She missed her mother and father more than words could say and often woke up crying after seeing their faces in her dreams. She hid this from Caspian, not wanting him to think her unhappy, not wanting him to see the tears she cried. Eve _was_ happy. But she wasn't whole. She had left a large portion of herself back in London. It had been brutally ripped away and she knew she would never find it again.

Philip seemed to be taking the change of scenery much better, or at least he kept his true feelings well hidden. Caspian had appointed Philip a position in the Narnian court, and Philip took the job seriously. He had learned to sword fight and became one of Caspian's best soldiers. Eve had insisted on learning how to handle a sword as well, though Caspian had protested. "Just because I didn't need a sword in the last battle doesn't mean I won't need one in the next battle," she had told him. "What battle? Narnia is finally at peace?" Caspian had asked. "You never know. You'll thank me someday," Eve had answered.

The wind whipped the Narnian flag around as if waving a greeting as Caspian and Eve returned to the castle. Cair Paravel stood perfectly against the azure sky. _My castle, my home…_ Eve thought. She felt a trill of excitement every time she saw it. Caspian led the way on Destrier, riding through the gates and toward the stables. "There's a meeting this evening with the council," he called back to Eve. "We must decide what to do about the traveling pools. They may still hold some power, and we do not want anything else coming into Narnia."

"Understandable," Eve agreed, shuttering at the thought of the Black Witch who had traveled through the magical pools to invade Narnia. Eve had traveled into different worlds through the pools, trying to find the lost city of Charn. She remembered well The Wood Between Worlds, a desolate, still forest where time was inexistent and the sound of a dropping coin sounded like an earthquake in the utter silence.

Dismounting her horse, Eve handed the reigns over to a stable hand and followed Caspian up to the castle. He took her hand gently as they walked together. The silence was perfect, understanding and meaningful. The tension of war had long faded from the land. Narnia had prospered in its days of peace. Under Caspian and Eve's rule, the Narnians and the Telmarines had continued to live together without conflict. The bordering countries had been quiet and peaceful toward Narnia. Eve remembered the day of her coronation as if it had occurred just a week before.

White petals drifted down from the sky, pure against the bright blue sky. Cair Paravel shone brightly as if made from marble rather than stone. Birds soared overhead, landing upon the turrets to watch the coronation. Narnian streamers flapped in the wind, bold red with the emblem of a golden lion in the center. Every different creature you could ever imagine stood around the throne room of Cair Paravel: Fauns, dwarves, badgers, rabbits, foxes, wolves, minotaurs, centaurs, unicorns, griffins, and many other talking beasts. Eve and Caspian had walked down the great hall, toward the four thrones, rebuilt just as they had been when the four kings and queens had ruled years before. Eve had accepted the vows and had bowed her head for a curly-haired faun to place the crown on her. Aslan had placed his paw on her shoulder and had crowned her queen of Narnia. The crowd of Narnians, mixed with a few Telmarines, had cheered loudly, celebrating their new queen. Eve had beamed, especially at her brother, as she had accepted Caspian's hand and had sat down upon the throne to his left. "Hail King Caspian! Hail Queen Eve!"

Eve was distracted from her thoughts as she and Caspian reached the meeting room. They entered and found Trufflehunter, Trumpkin, Philip, and Reepacheap already assembled, talking amongst themselves. They fell silent when Eve and Caspian entered. "Sire, we were just discussing the pools. Do I have your permission to state my opinion?" he asked, standing up straight and bowing.

"Yes, of course, Reep," Caspian answered, smiling. "I always value and mouse's opinion."

Reepacheap bowed again and then began to speak. "I believe we should go through the pools at once and discover what other worlds lie there, waiting to be discovered. I will volunteer to join whoever we decide should go through as soon as the decision has been made. We cannot let such worlds go undiscovered."

"Thank you, Reepacheap. Do any of you have any other opinions you would like to state?" Caspian asked, looking around the table.

"I do," said Trumpkin. "I believe that those worlds should be left as they are. There's no need to be looking for trouble. We don't know what we might come across within the other worlds. We don't even know how many of them there are."

"I agree with Trumpkin," Trufflehunter spoke up. "We don't need to go looking for trouble and sticking our noses where they needn't be," he said calmly. "Narnia is at peace, why should we put that peace at risk?"

"Philip?" Caspian asked, turning his head to Eve's brother.

Philip looked surprised that Caspian had asked his opinion on such a matter. "I- well, I think that we should go through. I mean, we don't know what's out there. Maybe there's a threat to Narnia that shouldn't be ignored. Eve went all around those pools, and she's still alive. How dangerous can they be?" Eve wrinkled her nose, not knowing how to take his last remark. Caspian nodded slowly, though he looked slightly upset. "I didn't mean that to sound unfeeling, it's just, Eve wasn't exactly a soldier or anything back then."

"That's two against two. What do you think, Eve?" Caspian asked, turning to her.

"Well," Eve looked up at the ceiling, chewing on the inside of her mouth as she thought. "I think we should investigate them. How dangerous could they be? Philip is right, I did go all around, and I made it through. I think we can skip the endless desert and the dragon, though," she added, shuddering.

"I agree with Eve," Caspian said after a moment's pause. "I believe these other worlds should be explored. I do understand your thinking, Trumpkin," he added thoughtfully. "It could be very dangerous, but I believe we can handle it." He smiled. "The creatures in those worlds probably think ours dangerous and strange. They might even have discussed traveling into our world before, without knowing what lay ahead."

Trumpkin nodded. "I still don't agree, but I know how stubborn you humans are…" Eve fought back a smile.

"Then it's agreed! We will send out an expedition to explore worlds unknown!" Reepacheap exclaimed, twitching his tail with barely contained excitement.

The expedition was formed quickly. Caspian would lead it, and though he protested, Eve insisted on accompanying him. Reepacheap and Philip readily agreed to come along, and with a frown, Trumpkin joined as well. Trufflehunter would remain behind and therefore would regulate Narnia in Caspian and Eve's stead with the help of Ouranos, the centaur. Eve felt a trill of excitement along with fear as she thought of the journey ahead.

"Are you sure you want to come?" Caspian asked for the umpteenth time that night as he and Eve readied for bed. Eve just rolled her eyes. "I mean, you haven't exactly had a good experience there before," he said, sitting down on the large, four-poster bed. Eve huffed and sat beside him, pulling her thick robe closer.

"You know what my choice is and you know I won't change my mind, so you might as well give up," she told him. Caspian leaned down to kiss her head.

"I know," he said resignedly. Eve smiled and pushed his arm playfully.

"You'll need a warrior like me on your side," she said, yawning. She laid her head on the pillow and was asleep before Caspian could respond. He watched her for a moment, breathing deeply, expression tranquil, lips pulled up at the corners in a sleepy smile. Then he turned and blew out the lamp, lying next to her, cherishing her warmth. He ran a finger across her cheek, and then put his head back on the pillow, staring up at the ceiling above him for a long time until finally, he closed his dark eyes and gave in to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Part Two: Dreams and Memories

The brook ran noisily down to the sea, the water merging together with a satisfying swirl of foam. Eve sat on a large rock, warmed by the sun's direct rays. She closed her eyes and opened her senses to the scene around her. In a nearby tree, she could hear the soft chirping of a sparrow and above her the call of a seagull. The wind gently caressed the surface of the sea, throwing the waves higher and higher over the beach and sending a damp mist over Eve's face. Slowly, she slipped into sleep, warmed into a state of utter relaxation.

The sky was darkening; pregnant charcoal clouds threatened to drop the rain held within them. The landscape was a bitter grey, lifeless and barren. No creature stirred. The only sound was that of the wind, biting and cold, whipping the long, grey grass around and tearing up the ground. A whirling pool of sapphire light twisted and turned in the sky, as a vortex of some sort. It spun closer to the earth until suddenly, in a blinding flash, it exploded and light fell from its midst, arching gracefully as a solemn assembly of falling stars. All at once, there was a stirring down upon the earth. A number of ragged creatures came forth, leaving the shelter of their caves. They watched as the last of the stars fell to the earth and then were extinguished. There was a deathly silence and then, "The stars have fallen, help is coming." The words came from a strong creature, standing heads taller than the rest. His torso was tanned and muscular, merging gracefully with dark, liver chestnut fur. The rest of his body was in the form of a large horse. A long, wavy and tangled tail swept down from his back, cascading down to the earth where it lay across the barren ground. Tan eyes pointed up at the dark, night sky, he spoke again. "Help is coming."

Eve awoke with a jolt, breathing hard. The dream lingered on the edge of her memory, and then vanished into an abyss of forgetfulness. Sitting up, Eve tried to recall glimpses of her dream, but all she could remember was a barren land, falling stars, and a tall centaur.

"Eve?" Eve jumped as she heard her name called out. She looked up to see Caspian standing o the ridge above her. "Are you alright? You look as if you've seen a ghost." He climbed down the embankment and sat next to her, brow furrowed in worry.

"I'm alright, I just had a strange dream." She told Caspian of her dream. As she spoke, the dream came back to her clearly as if she was dreaming it again. Caspian's expression was solemn when she finished.

"I've never seen such a land," he said once she had finished.

"I have," Eve replied quietly. Caspian gave her a curious look.

"You have?" he asked.

"When I was traveling through the lands, I came across a world where the grass grew long and there was a still silence that seemed so unnatural…" Closing her eyes, Eve thought back to that day.

Eve was standing in a grassy field. It was sunset and the long grass was bathed in deep orange light. Streaks of dark purple ran across the Heavens and stars twinkled lazily in the east. A warm breeze blew past Eve, and the sweet scent of the grass made her sleepy. She started to sway on her feet. Suddenly she couldn't keep her eyes open.

"It made me sleepy, the scent of the grass. I was about to fall asleep when I cried out to Aslan for help. He came roaring in and told me to jump back into the pool, and so I did," Eve explained. "There was something sorrowful about that world. Something forlorn. It seemed as if I wasn't supposed to leave…" Eve was now talking to herself, whispering her revelations, though Caspian listened with rapt attention. "I felt a pull, a resistance when I thought of leaving. I was about to give in when Aslan saved me." She looked up at Caspian. His dark eyes were questioning. "How could such a beautiful, enchanted world turn to such a barren wasteland?" Eve asked him. Caspian pondered this and then shook his head.

"I do not know," he said. "Perhaps some sort of spell was broken when you left. Maybe you're right, maybe you weren't supposed to leave."

"But then in my dream, when the stars fell down from the vortex, it seemed as if some spell was broken. The centaur said help was coming. Could he mean us? Because we're going to find that world and perhaps we're supposed to save them…"

"I don't like this," Caspian said anxiously. "This world could be dangerous. What if we were to fall under this spell? How could we save them let alone ourselves?"

"I don't think the world does that anymore. Put people to sleep, I mean." Eve narrowed her eyes. "It seemed to me that the creatures were just waking up from a long sleep."

"We don't know that, though," Caspian insisted, laying a hand on Eve's arm. "We must not put ourselves knowingly into danger."

"You're just trying to protect me, Caspian," Eve said, smiling. She took his hands in hers and looked him in the eyes, her own blue eyes glowing earnestly. "We are going to be unsure of each pool we enter, but we cannot turn back just because we are afraid of that unknown. We always have Aslan on our side." She looked across the sea to where the golden sun cast a glowing lining on the linen white clouds. Wherever he is… No Narnian had set eyes on Aslan since he had disappeared after Eve's coronation. Eve still remembered their parting as if it had been just the day before.

"Will I see you again?" Eve had asked sadly.

"_Of course, dear heart. One day very soon, although to you it might seem a long time."_

"_Then I will wait," said Eve, stepping back to give the lion one more look. She felt a tear glistening in her eye. _

"Until then, dear one," was Aslan's reply before he turned and faded away into the setting sun.

_The golden sun started to merge with the horizon and the color melted into the sea like wax. Cair Paravel was thrown into golden light, and Eve could have sworn she heard a lion roar. _

"We should head back to the castle," Caspian suggested, breaking Eve's thoughts. They walked up the beach, enjoying the warm breeze and the sun's golden light. The sand felt soft and smooth under Eve's bare feet. The smell of salt was heavy in the air, but the breeze scattered the smell so that it was bearable rather than overpowering. Eve loved the smell of the sea; it reminded her of Aslan, Emperor of the Sea. She wondered where he was and whether he was thinking of Narnia. I know he is, she thought to herself. Smiling into the sun, Eve pictured the golden lion with his shining mane, thick and soft, his golden eyes, bright and wise, his giant paws, strong and powerful, and his long whiskers that twitched in humor and affection when he gazed upon those he loved. She wished he could live in Narnia, sitting by her side and sharing stories and wisdom from the long ago ages, but she knew that though he was good, he was not a tame lion. He could not sit at her side like a dog, but he would always be there for her, whether or not she could see him.

"One day very soon, although to you it might seem a long time." How far away was that day? Would it be a year or a decade? Would it be on her deathbed or during a battle, when Narnia was in peril? I mustn't be impatient, she told herself, turning her thoughts from Aslan to the present.

"When will we leave?" Eve asked Caspian. He laughed.

"You're eager," he noted. "We will make preparations and leave within a week." Eve moaned inwardly. A week was forever when you were looking forward to something so much. "I know it seems a long time to you, but we cannot just leave Narnia without making plans for her in our stead."

"Trufflehunter and Ouranos will take care of Narnia. Besides, how do we know time won't stop once we reach The Wood Between Worlds? Didn't you say time stopped in England when Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy came to Narnia?"

A shadow crossed over Caspian's face, but it was fleeting. "Yes, it did. I suppose that could happen when we leave Narnia for the Wood as well."

"That would be convenient," Eve said, wondering why Caspian looked so somber.

"If something bad happens to us while we're in another world, then how will they know to come after us if time is stopped?" Caspian asked.

Eve frowned. "Well, I suppose they wouldn't then, but do you have to be such a pessimist?"

"As king, I must prepare for the worst," Caspian answered.

"I suppose so."

They had reached the castle and began to climb up to the main level, passing a set of guards as they did so. The two fauns bowed slightly and greeted Caspian and Eve. Eve smiled back. "It's so different living here," she thought out loud, laughing softly. Caspian didn't respond. The silence was suddenly tense and Eve wished she hadn't said anything.

Finally, Caspian asked quietly, "Are you sure you're happy here, Eve?"

"Of course," she answered too quickly. Seeing Caspian's expression, she squeezed his hand. "I miss home, but this is my home now. Narnia is where I belong."

"You never had a choice." Caspian's voice was strained.

"Yes, I did." He looked at Eve, eyes full of worry. "Death or life," she finished. "But I belong with you, Caspian. I'm happy with you. Believe me, I wouldn't want it any other way. I just wish my parents knew I was happy," she added.

They continued on in silence. Eve felt a throbbing sense of pain in her heart, dull and aching. The painful longing was now so familiar that Eve hardly noticed it. She thought of her parents and their sad, crying faces as they heard that both their children were dead. _If only I could tell them somehow that I'm alive and happy…_ Forcing back tears, Eve brought herself back to the present. Narnia needed her. Caspian needed her. There was no turning back the past.


	3. Chapter 3

Part Three: The Journey Begins

As a week passed, preparations for the journey were made and supplies were packed safely away in saddlebags. Eve helped wherever she could, growing more impatient with every day. She didn't understand her sudden eagerness to leave Narnia, but she found herself constantly daydreaming about what lay beyond Aslan's beloved land. When the day of parting finally came, a great feast was thrown for the journeyers. Eve sat, nervously twisting the hem of her sleeve until it wrinkled and creased. Caspian noticed and took her hand in his, stroking her palm with his thumb.

"Feeling anxious about the journey?" he asked. Eve shook her head.

"Just anxious to leave. I mean, I'm anxious to start the journey," she added quickly, seeing the confusion on Caspian's face. When he didn't say anything, Eve squeezed his hand. "I'm going to miss Narnia, but I want to see the worlds that exist beyond it," she assured him. Caspian smiled slightly.

"You will soon enough," he answered. Eve caught a glimmer of worry in his dark eyes, but he looked away, addressing Trumpkin. "I'd like to get an early start. We will leave before the sun rises."

Trumpkin nodded. "When the humans are grumpiest…" he muttered under his breath.

"Not me, Trump. I'm at my peak when it's early," Philip put in, patting his chest.

"You an early bird?" Eve scoffed. "You always woke up half past noon just to annoy mum!" she stopped short, realizing what she had just said. Painful memories stirred inside her, and she got up from the table abruptly. "I-I'm sorry. I'm feeling very tired, I'm going to get some sleep so I'm fresh in the morning." She walked away before anyone could stop her, not daring to look back at Philip's face. Eve felt hot tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes and down her cheeks. She tried to fight them back, but they kept falling. Memories of her mother were rekindled, and she thought back to her life in London. It hurts so terribly, I can hardly stand it… she thought to herself, feeling weak at her admission. She hated that she could be driven to tears over the simplest memory of her former life. After all, if she had not come to Narnia, she would still be separated from her parents. She would be dead, and there would be no second chance for her.

"Eve?" Eve was stirred from her thoughts when someone called her name. Recognizing Caspian's voice, she stopped, sitting on a nearby window ledge. Staring out at the night sky, Eve let her tears fall. Caspian moved cautiously forward, placing a hand on her trembling shoulder. He leaned down and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. Eve looked up at him, trying to control her tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Suddenly she could not hold in her grief any longer. Bowing her head, Eve began to sob, her body trembling. Caspian sat beside her and pulled her into his arms, cradling her head against his chest. Eve cried into his tunic, letting her pent up emotions explode from her. She no longer cared about hiding them; she knew the burden was too much.

Caspian did not speak until Eve's tears subsided and her trembling lessened. Finally, the tears ceased all together, and Eve looked up at Caspian, her blue eyes watery. "Do you want to talk?" he asked softly, pressing his head against hers and cupping her chin in his hand.

"I-I'm not used to the idea of-of never seeing my parents again. I miss them. I want to see them again. I love Narnia, I love living here, and I love you, but nothing here can replace them. There's an empty space inside of me that will always be there. Part of me wants to curse Philip, to scream at him that it's his fault we're dead to our parents. But I can't… he's all I have left of my family, and I cannot blame him." Caspian remained silent while Eve gathered her thoughts. Her voice was rough as she continued on. "At first I was fine. It was as if I was just away from home for a while, but then, as the year passed, I realized that this was not a long vacation, it was forever. Forever is a long time to miss someone. I really do love living here. It's a wonderful life, and I am selfish to question it, I just can't accept that I will never see my parents again."

Finally Caspian spoke. "I would not say that you will never see them again," he said softly.

"What do you mean?" Eve asked.

"One day, they too will leave their world and some day you will leave this world. Maybe then you will meet again. It does not have to be an eternity that you are away from them. A lifetime perhaps, but not forever." Eve felt a slight hope rising within her.

"Would Aslan be able to tell me? Would he be able to show me the truth?" she asked.

"He might," Caspian answered. "I believe you will know the truth when you are ready. For now you must focus on the present. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, and though you cannot forget your sorrow, you can at least put it aside while you live your life. Eve, you cannot dwell in the past forever, you have a life and a future to think about."

"You're right. I'm sorry," Eve said quietly.

"Don't apologize." Caspian leaned down and kissed her, holding her head in his hands. "You were not meant to be unhappy," he whispered.

. . .

Crimson banners waved gracefully across the yellow stained sky; the morning of departure had arrived. A line of Narnians stood holding the banners of Cair Paravel. Three horses and a sturdy pony stood ready, chomping at the bit and stamping their feet in anticipation. Caspian's black stallion, Destrier, and Eve's white mare, Freidya, stood at the head. Amid clapping and cheering, the king and queen emerged from the castle's entrance. Trumpkin and Philip followed with Reepacheap at end of the procession. The travelers mounted; Reepacheap sitting before Caspian on the pommel of the saddle; and prepared to depart from Cair Paravel. Cheers followed the riders down the causeway and into the forest surrounding the castle.

Eve smiled at Caspian, unable to contain her excitement. The worries that had troubled her mind the night before were gone and replaced with a boiling anticipation for the journey ahead. "The day has finally come," she said cheerily to the company.

"Easy, Sis, we don't want to use up all our excitement on the first leg of the journey. Why, we haven't even left Narnia yet," Philip jaunted.

"I'm glad you are happy," Caspian said quietly, his dark eyes catching Eve's. "I would not want to see you any other way."

"I'm glad too. I should not wallow in the past." Eve looked up at the sky and watched as a flock of birds circled a great willow tree, looking for a place to roost. "There could not have been a better day for such a journey," Eve called to the others, pushing Freidya into a canter.

"There'll be rain, no doubt, thanks to you jinxing the weather," Trumpkin grumbled from the back.

As the noon sun hit its zenith, casting its full heat upon the company, they came upon a long, winding river. "We will pass through Owlwood to avoid crossing the Ford of Beruna. That does not take us out of the way, and it will save us time," Caspian said, turning Destrier toward the north. "We should reach the pool by nightfall. Then we can get a night's rest before heading into the unknown."

Eve sighed impatiently. "It takes ages to get anywhere here," she said to Philip.

"In my convertible, a few hours tops," he said, smiling. Eve smiled back, but at the mention of his car, her heart had given a jolt. She could suddenly hear the screeching of the brakes and smell the exhaust; she could feel the fear that gnawed at her and could see the headlights coming closer and closer.

"Eve? Eve?" Eve opened her eyes slowly. Her head gave a painful throb as she tried to move. Opening her eyes completely, she met Caspian's worried eyes. He was crouched beside her on the ground.

"What happened?" she asked shakily. Caspian placed a hand on her shoulder to prevent her from moving.

"You just went weak and fell off of your horse," he replied, his tone giving away his deep concern. "Are you hurt? You were knocked unconscious when you hit the ground." He placed a hand on her forehead. "You are burning up," he exclaimed. "Ride to the river and wet a cloth," he ordered Philip. Eve noticed her brother standing a few feet away. He ran to his horse and rode off toward the Ford. Trumpkin and Reepacheap were near the horses, watching at a distance.

"My head feels as if it has been cracked open," Eve groaned. "And I think I bruised the arm I landed on, but otherwise I am unhurt."

"Let me see your arm." Caspian took her right arm gently in his hand and pushed up the sleeve of her dress. Eve winced as the fabric rubbed against the bruises. She groaned again when she saw the black and blue spots appearing on her pale skin. Caspian seemed to be on the edge of panic. "Does your head really feel cracked?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"No, I think I'm alright. I just have a headache," Eve assured him.

"Do you know why you fell?" Caspian asked, replacing Eve's sleeve as gently as he could.

Eve closed her eyes, fighting back the lurid memories of the crash. "Philip mentioned something that prompted me to think of the accident…" she finally answered quietly. "He didn't mean to, but the images jumped into my mind, and I just went numb. I suppose I fainted and fell off." She looked at the ground. "I'm weak," she muttered, hating the words.

"Eve, you are anything but weak. Some memories are just too painful to relive." Caspian pulled her chin up so that she was looking at him. "You are not weak," he insisted. Eve smiled slightly.

"I'm sorry, I've completely messed up the first day of our journey. I've wasted time. Perhaps I should go back-"

"No, you have been waiting for this so long. If you feel like you can continue, then you should," Caspian said quickly, cutting her off. "It's just a few bruises. I'll look after you."

Eve smiled. "I wouldn't know what to do if I went back to Cair Paravel now." Caspian put his arm around her waist and helped her to her feet.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"A little light headed, but I'll be fine." She let Caspian help her to her horse and mounted with some difficulty.

"I will ride close so I can watch you," Caspian assured her. As he mounted his own horse, Philip rode up, a dripping cloth in his hand. Eve took it gratefully and pressed it to her aching head.

"Are you alright, Sis?" Philip asked. "I didn't know what to do, you just went limp."

"I'm fine, Philip. I just got a little dizzy, that's all." Eve felt her cheeks blush with embarrassment. She felt as if she were a burden to the company. Though they stood quietly and did not speak, Eve could tell Reepacheap and Trumpkin were annoyed at the setback. Determined to redeem herself, Eve sat up straight in the saddle and urged her horse forward.


	4. Chapter 4

Part Four: Through the Fog

Night had long fallen when the twin peaks broke into the dark horizon. Stars scattered the black velvet sky, alighting the pathway into the mountains. Where the mountains sloped into a valley, the somber ruins of the Witch's Castle stood sentry to the wilderness. Restless to reach the edge of the pool, the company pushed their horses into a gallop. The thundering of the horses' hooves sounded like thunder in the silent wilderness. When they reached the broken steps of the ruined castle, they slowed their horses to a stop and dismounted.

"We will camp here tonight," Caspian said, pulling a rolled blanket off the back of Destrier's saddle. Trumpkin set to lighting a fire, Philip helping him gather the tinder, and Reepacheap scouted the castle ruins. Wanting to be helpful, Eve began to prepare a meal for the company. She laid out a blanket and placed bread, dried fruit, and dried meat out. Philip produced a flask of mead, setting it beside the food. When the others were out of earshot, he leaned over to whisper to Eve.

"I upset you when I mentioned the convertible, didn't I?" he asked. "I'm so sorry, Sis. I didn't mean to upset you, I didn't think before I spoke."

"It's alright, Philip. I know you didn't mean to hurt or upset me. It's me who should be sorry for reacting so badly. I set the whole company back and made a bad impression on the first day," she replied.

"How did you make a bad impression? It was hardly a set back," Philip defended her.

"Philip, I'm queen. I can't afford to be weak, I can't afford to let my emotions get in the way of my duty."

"Come on, Eve, you're not weak. You just have a bad memory and no one in this company blames you or thinks you're a set back. It's only been a year since we came here; you need more time to adjust."

"Maybe so, but I still feel as if I need to redeem myself."

"You will, just give it time. You'll be saving all of us with your bow before you know it," he teased her. Eve smiled slightly.

After their meal, the company settled down around the fire, enjoying the warmth the blaze gave out. Eve found the still silence of the wilderness unnerving. She lay staring up at the stars, alert for any noise that did not belong. Every time the fire crackled or someone shifted, Eve would start, sitting up and peering around the darkness. Long after the others had fallen asleep, Eve lay awake, nerves on edge, unable to sleep. Finally, she got up, stretching her limbs and looking around. She picked up a slender branch and prodded the fire before tossing into the flames. Suddenly she heard a twig break somewhere off in the distance. She whirled around, drawing her sword in a flash. All of the horses stood tethered and still. Nothing moved.

Gathering her nerves, Eve walked stealthily toward the noise, her sword kept firmly in her grasp despite her bruised arm. The very air was tense as if it were holding its breath. Eve too held her breath, moving cautiously forward. Midnight cloaked the earth so tightly that all light beyond the fire and the stars was nonexistent. Pushing through the darkness, Eve strained her eyes for any signs of life. Crack. Another twig cracked to her right. Eve nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned on the spot and brandished the sword at the air. A flash of white drew her eyes instantly to the left. Circling on the spot, Eve squinted into the darkness but could see nothing. She waited tensely for what seemed like an hour, but she saw and heard nothing. Deciding it had been a shy animal, Eve turned to head back to the camp. Suddenly a white horse appeared out of the darkness right in front of Eve. At first she thought it to be Freidya, her own horse, but this horse was smaller with feathered feet and cleaved hooves. Its tail was long and like a lions with a tuft of white hair at the end. The white horse shook its mane and vanished into the darkness. Eve stood in wonder, her eyes glued to the spot where the horse had disappeared. She knew that the horse itself had been real, but the silver horn that twisted gracefully from its head just had to be her imagination.

Shaking her head, Eve suddenly broke her trance. _The last unicorn in Narnia lived during King Peter's reign. They've long since died out…_ Unsure of what she had seen, Eve returned to the camp, lying down near Caspian's sleeping form and closing her eyes. Sleep finally enveloped her and led her into deep dreams.

. . .

_Rolling white fog engulfed the air around Eve. She felt choked by its constricting closeness. Spinning around, she tried to find a landmark, but amid the fog she could see nothing. A gnawing worry filled her heart, and she felt the sudden impending fear. Where was Caspian? Where was anyone? Eve raised her voice to cry out Caspian's name, but there was no answer. Her call did not echo but instead hung dead in the air. Panic filled Eve. She needed to find Caspian before something terrible happened. She didn't know what was wrong, but she knew that if she did not find him, he would be in grave danger._

_Eve took a step forward and then another, into the thick, misty fog. Her hair clung to her shoulders, soaked with the air's perspiration. Suddenly she saw movement in front of her. Breaking into a run, Eve followed the shape. It weaved in and out of the fog, and though Eve ran faster, she could not gain on the figure. All at once, the figure stopped and looked back. It was Caspian! Eve called his name out, but her voice came out as a whisper. She tried again to yell, but again her voice fell short. Caspian did not appear to see her. He looked straight past her and then turned away, into the fog. Eve broke into a sprint, desperate to speak to Caspian. Her heart beat loudly, shattering the stillness. The fog swirled suddenly, wrapping itself around Eve, slowing her and taking the breath from her. She stumbled suddenly and fell over an object. Blinded within the fog, Eve could see nothing, not even the ground she lay upon. Feeling around, she grasped what felt like an arm. Moving closer, Eve discerned a body lying still on the ground. A weak pulse beat within the ice-cold wrist. Eve sensed a sickness plaguing the body; the heartbeat was slow and unsteady as if its beats were numbered. Leaning close to the figure's face, Eve gasped and fell back. She screamed in agony, but her voice now made no noise. Why was he sick? Why was he dying? Eve reached forward to feel the weak heartbeat again, to make sure it still beat, but the figure was gone. Caspian! Eve cried out. She stood and whirled around as a weak beating filled the air. Caspian stood before her, pale and weak, he held his hand over his heart. His face was filled with agony and his eyes reflected a silver fire. Turning, Eve saw that the fog had now turned to fire. It burned around them, cold, not hot, but painful all the same. It singed her arms and legs, and a freezing sensation crept through her body._

_Caspian had started to run again, further and further from Eve until she could no longer see him. She cried his name out over and over, but her voice was mute, and she could not catch up. Soon her legs could not move and she stood frozen to the spot while the white fire burned around her. Darkness crept into her heart, and she opened her mouth to scream. All at once the fire vanished and the fog was replaced with a silver light. The freezing sensation left Eve's heart, and she was able to move once more. A glowing shape appeared before her, and Eve felt hope rising within her. As the figure moved closer, Eve discerned that it was a white horse. The horse walked up to Eve and stopped before her, tossing its head and stomping its cleaved hooves. With a jolt, Eve realized that it was the unicorn she had seen before._

_Reaching out a hand, Eve took a step toward the unicorn. At once, the horse turned and galloped off. Eve felt a stab of disappointment. She ran after it, finding that she could run faster than before. Soon she was running so quickly that the unicorn came into sight again. The white light suddenly faded, and Eve found herself within the walls of Cair Paravel. Glancing around, she found that she was in hers and Caspian's room. Caspian himself lay on the bed. Eve's heart gave a jolt. He was sick. She could tell by his pale face and flushed cheeks. Trembling, Eve knelt beside the bed and reached out a hand to grasp his. It was ice-cold. What's happening? Eve asked. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked onto Caspian's face. Help him! she called out. She jumped at the sound of her own voice._

_A presence entered the room, and Eve turned to see the unicorn. It approached the bed on silent hooves and reached its neck out to touch Caspian's brow with its horn. There was a tense moment and then Caspian took a deep breath, opening his dark eyes. Eve jumped up. The unicorn vanished and as it did, the room faded as well, and Eve was left alone in a dark void._


	5. Chapter 5

Part Five: Beyond Narnia

Eve awoke with a start, breathing hard and trembling slightly. The others were stirring and sitting up. Caspian was already packing away supplies. He turned to greet Eve. "We will leave after we eat breakfast," he announced. "Are you alright?" he added, scrutinizing Eve's face.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just had a bad dream," she said quickly, standing and rolling up her blanket. Caspian cast her a worried look, but he didn't push the subject.

All throughout breakfast, Eve was distracted, mulling over her dream. The nightmarish fog still seemed to be choking her. She was glad when breakfast was over and the company moved on, up the castle stairs and onto the dais that was once a courtyard. The small, silver pool stood shimmering as if calling them to it. Looking around at the others, Eve saw expressions of determination. Taking a deep breath, she tried to renew her excitement.

"I will go first, if you wish, Sire," Reepacheap said, drawing his tiny sword with a flourish and bowing.

"If you wish," Caspian gave his consent. "Trumpkin and I will follow and then Eve and Philip." They all nodded, and then Reepacheap jumped into the pool, disappearing into its depths. Trumpkin grumbled something and then followed suit. Philip spoke to the horses, instructing them to return to Cair Paravel and to await their return. Freidya tossed her head in understanding. She alone of the horses could understand the human language, being descended from Strawberry, the first horse to set foot in Narnia. Eve patted her neck in goodbye and followed Philip to the edge of the pool. By now the others had leapt into its depths, and Eve and Philip stood alone upon the crumbling stone dais.

"After you, Sis," Philip offered. Eve nodded and took a deep breath before jumping into the pool. An instant freezing sensation swept over her and for a moment she could not breathe. As quickly as it had begun, the sensation ended and Eve was standing on the hard ground. Looking around her, she took in the still, never changing scenery of the Wood Between the Worlds. The only noise was that of the others collecting themselves. Eve felt uneasy. The absolute silence of the woods was unnerving.

The others looked around curiously, not yet disturbed by the utter silence. Eve huddled close to Philip, wishing they could move on. "There are hundreds of pools!" Philip exclaimed.

"We cannot enter them all," Caspian said. "I suggest we explore those closest to Narnia." He looked down at the pool from which they had just emerged. "We must mark it so we do not get lost."

Already having thought of that, Eve pulled out a small hunting knife with a golden lion decorating the hilt and drove it into the ground next to the pool. Then she turned back to the others. "Can we move on? These woods are too quiet. It makes me nervous." They nodded their consent.

"I suggest we work from the closest pool on," Caspian said. "We will mark each one that we visit." Eve stepped toward the closest pool. The silver surface was placid, as unmoving and still as the wood that surrounded it. Eve tried to remember which pools she had visited before, but she could not. "Reepacheap will go first." The mouse warrior bowed and then with a twitch of his tail, he leapt into the pool. They followed in turn, Eve going last. She gave the solemn woods one more glance and then jumped into the pool, prepared for the icy, choking sensation that followed. When the spinning stopped and she could breathe again, Eve opened her eyes and found that she stood on the edge of a forest. Tall evergreens swayed in the warm breeze. The leaves of the deciduous trees were beginning to change color. Verdant green melted into rusty orange. Tall grass swayed lazily beneath the boots of the company, growing wild and unchecked. A bold blue sky, unmarred by clouds hung above them, playing host to the birds.

There were no signs of life within the forest. All was still and quiet save the whispering wind. Philip took a step forward. "Come on," he said to the rest of the company. "We'll get no exploring done just standing there." The others followed, Eve keeping close to Philip's side.

"Who do you think lives here?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. It looks a bit like Narnia. Perhaps there are talking beasts."

"I just hope they're friendly." Eve felt a knot constricting her stomach as she thought nervously about what could await them.

The woods proved to be empty. Before they knew that they had reached it, the end was in sight, and they came out onto another open field. Eve stopped short. "Is that it?" she asked. For miles and miles, all she could see was open field. It seemed never ending, going on until the atmosphere swallowed it up and it became one with the sky. The forest stood in the middle, empty and alone.

"What kind of world is this?" Philip wondered aloud. "Surely there has to be some form of life…"

As he spoke, they heard a twig cracking behind them. Whirling, they saw the tail of an animal disappear behind a tree. "Hello?" Caspian called out. "We mean you no harm. We come from the land of Narnia. I am King Caspian X." There was no reply. Eve wondered if the creature was listening behind a tree, or if it had fled as soon as it had seen the company.

"Perhaps we should go back…" Eve suggested.

"Without even looking around some more?" Trumpkin asked. "Just because some animal gives you the end of its tail doesn't mean they all will." Eve blushed, shutting her mouth and keeping quiet.

"Let us go through the forest again. Do not draw your weapons," Caspian said, taking a step forward. They wandered through the woods again, noting that it was very small. The edge of the trees appeared on every side before they had ventured far at all. "A very strange place…" Caspian muttered under his breath. He had hardly said his last word when suddenly there was a rustling from the bushes not five feet away. They waited tensely until the snout of an animal appeared and then the head. Eve took a step back in surprise. The creature was furry and small, like an animal, but it had the face and eyes of a human. It blinked expectantly up at them, curling its long tail around its small body. Long black hair fell around its brown, oval face. Its black eyes were slanted and twinkled with undeniable intelligence. The creature's body resembled a small lion with wiry, orange hair. A ruby pendant was strung around the small neck, reflecting light with the creature's every move. It stared curiously up at them for a minute and then spoke.

"What do you wish from me?" she asked, for her voice was undeniably that of a woman. She flicked the end of her tail somewhat impatiently though her eyes gave away no emotions.

"We are exploring worlds beyond our own. We only wish to learn something of your land," Caspian explained, bowing his head respectfully.

"I am Neiglish, leader of the forest," the creature introduced. "This land is called Triyan. We have never had visitors from other lands before."

"We're sorry to have startled you," Eve said apologetically. "Are there others like you?" she asked.

"There are others, but none like me. I would introduce you, but we are all very shy here in the forest. Your stomping around scared them into their holes."

"You have our apologies. We are sorry for disturbing you," Caspian apologized.

"We have very sharp ears, you have nothing to apologize for." She blinked. "You are wondering what I am," she said.

"We mean no disrespect, but yes," Reepacheap said, cocking his small head to the side.

"We are what we are, and we are what we're not, we are human and yet we are beast, we hide in our holes, and speak not to anyone, we are creatures of the night, and creatures of the day, small and large and in between, we never sleep, and yet we always dream, we are sons and daughters of the moon, and brothers and sisters of the sun, we are everything and nothing," she ended her riddle, smoothing out the ground beneath her paws and looking quite satisfied.

"That explains it all," Trumpkin muttered.

Neiglish batted her long ears, smiling. "We are creatures of mystery, even to ourselves. We came to this land long ago, before the stars themselves appeared. A forest grew for us, and we lived within its boundaries. Every year it grew and grew until it started to shrink. It waxes and wanes with the moon, but never disappears."

"Is there anything beyond the fields?" Philip asked.

"If you walk long enough through the fields, you will come back to where you started. Our world is round like the sun," Neiglish explained. She flicked her tail again, showing signs of impatience and boredom.

"Just like ours," Eve said. "I mean, before…" she trailed off.

"Tell me more about your own world," Neiglish asked, sitting up straighter.

Caspian explained about Narnia, about the four kings and queens, and about Aslan. Neiglish showed interest at the mention of Aslan. She asked Caspian more about him, flicking her tail to and fro. Finally, she closed her eyes as if remembering something from long ago.

"I remember a lion," she said. "He scattered the stars in our skies and made the seasons change. This was long ago, when I was still a human."

"You mean you were once like us?" Eve asked, astonished.

"I was once human as were the other creatures I call my brothers and sisters. Our world was destroyed, and we were brought here to start a new life. We could not live as humans in a forest without human food. We adapted to our new home, and over time we began to look like animals. Now we do not need more than what we have." Eve gave an involuntary shutter, imagining herself sprouting cat ears and growing fur.

"Then Aslan helped create this world as well?" Caspian asked.

"Yes, I suppose so. He helped us when we were in need, but he did not stay long. That was long ago, many human lifetimes ago." Neiglish batted her tail again.

"Would it be rude to ask your age?" Philip inquired.

"We do not count our years. I am older than the stars and younger than the sun," Neiglish replied, standing up and gazing up at Caspian. "Your questions are many, human." Blinking, she whipped her tail to the side. Eve was reminded of an angry cat.

"Thank you for your patience, we will not inconvenience you any longer. If you could help us find the pool, we will leave you to your peace," Caspian said, noting the creature's sudden impatience.

With a hiss, Neiglish turned her tail on them and strode to the forest's edge. As she walked, she looked back at them, her eyes glowing with a curious light again. Eve was confused by the creature's behavior. She wondered if Neiglish could only act human for so long before her animal instincts took over. "Here it is," she said, stopping abruptly.

"Thank you," Caspian said, bowing his head. "May the stars shine brightly above you."

"And you. Good luck with your travels. Perhaps if you return again, you will see the forest at full moon." With that, she turned and disappeared behind a tree. The company began to jump into the pool. Eve went last, looking back before she jumped. She thought she saw a glimmer of black eyes, watching her from behind a bush but when she blinked, the eyes were suddenly gone. Taking a deep breath, Eve jumped into the icy pool.


	6. Chapter 6

Part Six: September 14, 1954

The pool was carefully marked with a large stone before the company moved on to the next pool. "Hopefully we can stay longer this time," Philip commented. "I couldn't figure out if that thing wanted us to stay and tell more about Narnia, or if she wanted us to leave before she clawed our faces off," he added to Eve who nodded.

"I know what you mean. She certainly was odd…" She looked back at the pool, a shiver escaping her. "If we can get through and back to other words," she said to the others, "what's stopping others from coming into Narnia?"

"You are forgetting your ring," Caspian told her.

"My ring?"

"You used it before go get through the pools, did you not?"

"Yes, you're right." Eve fingered the ring necklace she always wore. The ring had once belonged to Polly, one of the first humans to enter Narnia. "But I'm the only one with a ring." Caspian shook his head, holding out another ring. "Where did you get that?" she asked.

"I had one ring made for each of us, just in case the ring was the only way you could travel through the pools. There is a man who lives on the outskirts of Narnia who works magic into metal," Caspian explained. "I do not think you can use the pools if you do not have a ring. Unless you possess some sort of magical ability," he added.

"Which is how the Black Witch came into Narnia."

Caspian nodded. "And the White Witch, I believe."

"Are we going to stand here all day chatting, or can we move on?" Trumpkin asked impatiently.

"Sorry, Trumpkin. You're right; we should move on." Caspian stepped toward another pool.

One by one, they jumped in, coming out on a sandy beach. Water lapped up over the sand, reaching toward their feet. The sun was beginning to set in the sky, casting red, purple, and orange streaks across the horizon. The company walked along the beach, Reepacheap running along ahead of them, his long tail flicking up and down as he ran. Within minutes, the sounds of civilization could be heard. The shouts of men and the clank of tools echoed down the beach. As the trees ahead thinned out, they saw a town, brimming with action. Men were running along docks, carrying ropes and rolling barrels. Ships were anchored close by and some were floating into the harbor to port for the night.

The company moved forward, into the clearing. No one seemed to notice them as they came forward. Eve glanced around curiously. The people were dressed similarly to the people in Narnia; they wore tunics and most of them carried a sword or a dagger at his side.

"Perhaps we should not disturb them," Eve suggested. "We can make camp and come back in the morning."

"Yes, you're right," Caspian agreed. They made their way back into the woods, finding a clearing set away from the town to make camp in. Philip and Trumpkin set up the camp while Eve and Caspian found wood for a fire.

Caspian spoke little to Eve as they ventured into the woods. She felt a strange shyness growing in her. It was as if she did not know how to act around Caspian anymore. "Caspian, do I make a good queen?" she asked suddenly. Caspian turned to her, a surprised expression on his face. Eve blushed at her own question, feeling instantly foolish.

"Of course. Why would you need to ask such a question, Eve?" He came over to her, cupping her face in his hands. His hands were warm, and Eve relished the feeling as the cold air bit her from behind. Caspian's dark eyes were honest as he spoke again. "Being king or queen is not easy. At first you feel as if everything you do is wrong. You are unsure, scared to make decisions. You believe yourself to be unfit for the job, but it gets better. I felt exactly the way you do when I first became king. I did not think I was ready. You may not think you make a good queen, but you are still learning." He leaned down to kiss her brow. "Already you have made peace between Narnia and Ettinsmoor, you have been there for the Narnians, and you have saved my life. Do you forget that it was you who stopped the Black Witch?"

"No, but that was a long time ago. Ever since we have started this journey, I've just been in the way. I feel so timid. I've never been one to take a chance." Eve felt tears growing in her blue eyes. She tried to fight them back.

"You have not been in the way. And being cautious is no fault. It is a gift to the rest of us. We can rely on you to look before we step. Wasn't it Queen Eve the Peaceful Aslan dubbed you? You are the peacekeeper, Eve, and you are good at it. I would not have you any other way." He took her hands in his and kissed her. "Now, you should not ever feel as if you are a nuisance to us. I speak for all of us when I say you are needed."

"Thank you." Eve blushed at her own foolishness.

As the fire burned slowly down, occasionally shooting bright embers into the night sky, Eve lay awake, wondering what she would be doing if she were back in London, back home. She thought of her mother and father, how they must be missing her. She could see their horror stricken faces when they learned that both their children had died in a car accident. Eve felt tears running down her cheeks. She gazed into the fire, wishing that she could see them one more time and tell them it was alright, she was safe, she was happy… She wanted to tell them that she would see them again but whether this was true or not, she did not know. Closing her eyes, she winced, trying to let go of the pain. Finally she fell into a troubled sleep, dreaming of blaring lights and breaking glass.

…

**London: September 14, 1954**

_"Philip and Eve should be here by now!" Lisa Westerly told her husband, Devon. She peered out the rain-spattered window into the starless night. "What's keeping them?" She wrung her hands worriedly, her lips forming a frown as she looked up at her husband._

_"Philip is probably just driving slowly. It's dangerous when the road is so wet," Devon consoled her. "He knows what he's doing though, don't worry." He took her hands and kissed her forehead lightly. "Aubrey will be fine as well," he said, speaking of Lisa's mother. "The doctors said she was in stable condition."_

_"For now," Lisa added. "She wished to see Eve and Philip one last time…" She choked back tears._

_"I know. They'll be here." Devon glanced at his wristwatch, noting the late hour. Inwardly he too was concerned. The drive only took an hour on a good night, and he had hung up with Eve over two hours before._

_Suddenly there was a knock at the front door. Lisa jumped, looking frantically toward the door. "Could that be them?"_

_"Why would they knock? They would just come in," Devon pointed out, going forward to answer the door. Two policemen stood on his doorstep, rainwater dripping off their hats and soaking the doormat._

_"Devon Westerly?" one of the policemen asked._

_"Yes, what seems to be the problem?" Devon asked. Lisa clung to his arm, tears falling down her cheeks. She had a terrible feeling gnawing at her insides. Her thoughts went to Philip and Eve._

_"We have some bad news," the officer went on. "There was an automobile accident just west of here along the highway. The car in question was registered in the name of Philip Westerly."_

_Lisa whimpered, sobbing into Devon's sleeve. Devon stood stock still, unbelieving._

_"I'm very sorry," the officer said._

_"The bodies were not recovered, I'm afraid, Sir," the second policeman said somberly._

_"Oh, God, my children," Lisa sobbed._

_Devon stood, numb. "W-what do you mean 'no bodies were recovered'?" he asked quietly, disbelieving of what was happening._

_"We searched all over, but we couldn't find anyone. It's like they just vanished," the officer explained. "If there were any."_

_"Then there's a chance they survived?" Lisa asked hopefully._

_The officer shook his head, "It would be a miracle if they did, but I suppose there is a chance. Don't get your hopes up too much, Mrs. Westerly."_

_"Again, we're very sorry to be the bearers of such ill news. We'll be in contact and keep searching. Please notify us if you learn anything," the other officer said. They turned to leave. Devon stood in the doorway, not noticing the cold spray of the rain that hit his face through the open door. Finally, he came to, shutting the door and turning to his wife._

_"Devon…" Lisa cried into his shoulder, her body shaking as she wept._

_"Lisa, we should go see Aubrey. We need to see her off," he said finally._

_Lisa nodded without speaking. Wiping her eyes, she looked up at Devon. "We shouldn't tell her. We can't let her die knowing that her two grandchildren could be dead…" she choked on the last word._

_"You're right." Devon steeled himself, taking Lisa by the shoulder and guiding her out the door._

_The drive to the hospital was tense. Lisa tried to control her tears, but she could not stop sobbing. Soon her sobs turned to hiccupping when Devon pulled into the hospital parking lot. She took a deep breath, her tears ceased. Devon was in shock. He kept waiting for the tears to come, but they wouldn't. It was as if his body was rejecting the possibility that Eve and Philip were dead._

_They entered the hospital and walked down the stark white hallway. Entering a room on the second floor, they knelt at the bedside of an elderly woman. "Mother," Lisa said softly, reaching out a shaking hand and touching her mother's pale cheek._

_"Lisa, is that you, dear?" the elderly woman asked._

_"Yes, mother, it's me. Devon is here too."_

_"And the children?"_

_There was a tense pause. Lisa glanced up at Devon with a look of desperation. "They- they were delayed… the storm…" Lisa finally whispered, her voice shaking._

_"Tell them something for me," the old woman requested. She motioned for Lisa to move closer. "Tell Eve that her necklace holds a great power. Tell her she has a destiny beyond this world," she whispered in her daughter's ear._

_"What are you talking about, Mother?" Lisa asked, pulling back._

_"Believe, Lisa. I speak the truth. Just as my sister told me…" She took a ragged breath. "Eve will become a queen. Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia…" the last words were so quiet, Lisa could hardly make them out. She just nodded mutely, thinking that her mother had gone out of her mind. However, her wrinkled face and bright blue eyes were as honest as ever. "You will think you've lost her, but she is safe. She'll come back again. You'll see her again. Sometimes people can get a third chance to live…" her words faded, and she breathed shallowly, grasping Lisa's trembling hand. "She'll be fine…"_

_"Mother?" Lisa felt tears falling from her eyes. Her mother sat still, her pale face at peace. Her hand still held Lisa's. Devon placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. Sobbing, Lisa placed her mother's hands on her heart, folding them neatly. She buried her head in her mother's shoulder, crying openly. In just one night she had lost her children, and she had lost her mother. Her thoughts went back to her mother's last words. What had her mother meant when she had said Eve would have a third chance to live? And why had she mentioned her sister, Polly Plummer?_


	7. Chapter 7

Part Seven: Kidnapped

At first Eve thought it was the stirring of the wind that had awoken her, but as she lifted her head, she heard a branch break underfoot. Someone was out there. Her hand went instinctively to the dagger she kept inside her boot. The cold metal met with her hand but before she had a chance to grasp the knife's handle, someone put a hand over her mouth. She tried to scream, but a handkerchief was held over her mouth and nose. She breathed in a sharp smell, feeling suddenly dizzy. She feebly fought against her captor, but the dizzy feeling turned to sleepiness, and she blacked out, falling limply into the arms of a man cloaked in black. The man motioned to the other two men who accompanied him and sped away from the campgrounds, as silent as mice.

…

Dawn spread slowly over the horizon, casting amber streaks of light across the water's surface and through the forest, turning the trees' bark golden. Caspian opened his eyes, as the light hit his face. He stretched out, enjoying the warmth of the newly risen sun. He blinked his dark eyes against the light, sitting up and throwing his blanket aside. Looking around, he noted that he was the first awake. He turned to Eve who had fallen asleep by his side, but she was not there. Caspian felt a jolt of panic. He tried to calm down, telling himself that she had probably just gotten up to stretch her legs. She would probably appear any minute, smiling as brightly as the sun, her golden hair matching the sunlight exactly. He could picture her soft blue eyes, bright and happy after their talk the night before.

He waited, letting the minutes tick by. The sun had fully risen now and the forest was brightly lit. Still Eve did not return. Caspian felt the panic begin to rise again. He pushed it down and stood, grabbing his sword. Not wanting to wake the others, Caspian crept away from the camp, looking for signs of Eve. She had left her sword at the camp. Caspian furrowed his brow. She never went anywhere without her weapon, especially in a foreign territory. Stepping quietly through the woods, Caspian's eyes were alert. Something silver caught his eyes. Hurrying forward, Caspian saw a delicate silver chain draped over the branch of a tree. The sunlight glinted off of the metal, making it hard to miss in the daylight. Dangling from the end of the chain was a ring. Caspian recognized it at once; it was the ring that always hung around Eve's neck. Something was wrong.

Caspian ran forward, following a narrow trail that ran through the woods. He drew his sword, hearing noises ahead. He stopped short as he came to the edge of the woods. The town lay before him, already crowded with busy people, bustling around the dock. He turned and headed back to the camp, keeping his sword drawn. When he reached the clearing, the others were stirring. They looked curiously up at Caspian, noting his drawn sword.

"Is there trouble?" Trumpkin asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Where's Eve?" Philip asked, noticing her absence at once. He looked up at Caspian, eyes wide with concern.

"Eve has been kidnapped," Caspian cried out.

…

When Eve awoke, she felt as if a lead weight sat on her head. She rubbed her eyes, sitting up groggily. She was in a dark surrounding, and her eyes took a moment to adjust to the lighting. Shaking her head to clear her confusion, Eve looked around. She was in a small shed, or so it appeared. The room was empty save a broken chair. Eve tried to move her arms, but they were bound with thick rope. She had a gag in her mouth and was unable to shout out for help. She tried to remember the night before.

There were men… They put something over my face, and I blacked out, she remembered. She must have been drugged. Why would someone kidnap me? No one here knows who we are. No one saw us the day before… Eve pondered this, worrying about the others. Had they been kidnapped as well? Or worse, had they been hurt?

Eve struggled with the rope binding her hands but to no avail; they were tied too tightly. She moaned, lying back down. Just then a door opened, letting in the blinding daylight. Eve blinked fiercely, looking up into the face of her captor. He grabbed her gruffly, pulling her to her feet and marching her out of the shack. Eve tried to speak, but the gag made speech impossible. Instead she kicked out at the man. He dodged the blow, grabbing her more tightly, dragging her along after him. They went through a forest until the glimmer of the sea could be seen. Eve saw a large ship anchored just offshore. An unmarked red flag waved in the slight breeze from atop the crow's nest. Eve was pulled into a rowboat and taken aboard.

Stumbling slightly, Eve was thrust forward onto the deck. She looked up at the man who stood before her. He was tall with a handsome face. His brown hair hung around his shoulders, blowing back in the breeze. A large hat was positioned on his head and a long, red feather protruded from the band. He had twinkling blue eyes and a light stubble around his chin. Eve glared up at him. He wore a troubled expression.

"I told you to treat her respectfully," he said to his men, shifting his glance in their direction. "Do you call this respectful? Well?" The men muttered, shuffling their feet. "Get on with it!" the man yelled at them. They cowered under his anger, hurrying to do his orders. "I apologize for the way they have treated you," he told Eve, taking the gag out of her mouth and untying her. Eve thought briefly of jumping overboard, but the ship had already been laid to sea.

"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" Eve asked angrily.

"Captain Brough, at your service," he said genially. "And what might your name be, fair one?" he inquired politely.

Eve kept the glare firmly implanted on her face. "I am Queen Eve of Narnia. Why have you taken me captive? You have no right to do so."

The captain smiled. "Ah, that is a question. But come, let us sit and have some breakfast. You are hungry, I imagine." He led her into his quarters, offering her a seat. She sat stiffly in the comfortable chair, willing her stomach not to growl at the sight of the meal before her. "Help yourself to the toast and jam. The sausages are the finest in Caván." He poured her a glass of milk, saying, "Fresh this morning. Drink up."

"Why are you being so polite when just a few minutes ago you had me bound and gagged?" Eve asked angrily.

The Captain frowned. "That was a mistake. I told my men specifically to treat you well. 'A kidnapping fit for a queen', I told them. Apparently they share a bleak outlook on royalty." He looked pensive, seating himself across from Eve and loading a chipped plate with food. "Please eat," he pleaded with her. "It is the least I can do for you."

Grudgingly, Eve helped herself to some toast and jam. "So you knew I was a queen, then?"

"Yes, I confess. I was fully aware of your status." He leaned back in his chair, surveying Eve.

"How did you-" Eve paused, the truth dawning on her. "You were listening to my conversation to Caspian in the woods last night," she accused.

Captain Brough grinned. "You aren't very confident about yourself, are you? Yes, I'm afraid eavesdropping is one of my better traits. I meant no harm."

"Then what do you call this?"

"Well," he pretended to ponder the question, "you're not really being harmed. Here I am feeding you a meal fit for a queen."

"You obviously took me for a reason. What do you want? Gold?" Eve glowered across the table.

"Of course. What else do brigands and pirates want these days?" The Captain's eyes began to glow at the mention of gold. "I can only imagine how much gold and how many jewels a king and queen have."

"And you think we'd bring it with us? Just pack it in the saddle bags just incase one of us gets kidnapped by pirates?" she asked sarcastically.

Captain Brough frowned. "No need for sarcasm. Surely you have some gold with you. Besides, I wasn't expecting you to bring your whole treasure trove with you. Narnia is a far away land."

"Then you've heard of Narnia?" Eve asked, her interest peaked.

"Everyone's heard of the legendary Narnia. Few believe in its existence. I do, however. And I am right, aren't I? What I want is something that you do have with you. A ring you keep round your neck."

"That cannot be bargained with," she told him sternly. Her hand went to her neck, but with a jolt, she realized that the ring was not there. The men must have stolen it while she was out! She fumed.

"Very well then. You can come with us." The Captain stood, stretching nonchalantly as if the ring was already forgotten.

"Why do you want it?" Eve asked him suspiciously.

"Because, my dear, it opens up the universe! We can travel where we will, stealing and sailing, the two things I love best."

Eve shook her head. "How do you know about the rings?" she asked.

"A friend of a friend. I am not without contacts. I know you hold the ring." Eve scrutinized him. He seemed genuinely sure that she had the ring. Perhaps he had not taken it.

"If the ring is in such demand, why did you trust your men to kidnap me? One of them could have taken it and run," she suggested, testing him.

"Nay, they do not know about the ring. Do you think I share all my secrets with my crew?"

"Well, I will not give up the ring," Eve answered stubbornly.

"Fine. Then let me escort you to your royal dungeon," he said stiffly, holding out an arm. Eve stood and allowed herself to be led into a small room under the deck. It was comfortably furnished and a bowl of fruit sat on a table. The Captain closed the door, locking her in. Eve sat down on the small cot, trying hard not to cry. Everything was going wrong. Now she really was the damsel in distress. She hit her fist against the wall at the thought.

…

Caspian led the company out of the woods and into the village. He hailed a passerby, inquiring about their location.

"Where do you think?" the man answered with a rough accent. "We're in Caván, just east of Glenshore." He walked away, muttering to himself. Caspian felt his temper rising, and he willed himself to keep it in check.

"Let's find someone else. A leader of the village," he suggested, striding toward the town. They walked along the streets, receiving many glances, most of them cast at Trumpkin. Reepacheap sat on Caspian's shoulder, crouched down to deter staring eyes. Philip strode after them, brewing over his missing sister. He was on the verge of panic, but he knew he must keep calm in order to help her.

"Here, Caspian, let's try here." Philip had stopped before a tall, rickety building marked as "City Hall". He pushed open the door and went up to the counter, speaking to the elderly man who sat at the desk. "Are you the mayor?" he asked.

"The mayor is quite busy right now," the man answered, giving Philip a distasteful glance. "You will have to come back later."

"This is important!" Philip banged his fist against the counter. "My sister is missing. We believe she was kidnapped."

The man looked up at them wearily. "Try the local pub, they're always there."

"Not her, you don't understand." Philip threw up his hands in distain.

Caspian stepped forward, surveying the man. "We are not from here," he began, "we come from Narnia."

The man looked up at him in surprise, letting out a high-pitched laugh. "Narnia! Bah, a place for child's tales." He chucked to himself, appraising the newcomers. They were clad in traveling clothes and all carried a sword at their side. The man sank back a little in his seat. The first who had spoken looked formidable, his face red with rage. The second was tall and calm with a noble air to him. He looked dead serious. But Narnia? Surely not! The old man shook his head. He had heard many tales as a youngster about a great lion and a magical land where animals talked and lived in harmony with the humans. What was the lion's name? The man thought for a moment. Aslan! That's what it was! Aslan. He shook his head again, looking back up at the newcomers. "I'm sorry, but no such thing exists. I cannot help you." He bowed his head over his papers again.

Caspian was surprised at how quickly the man dismissed the idea of Narnia. He furrowed his brow. "I urge you to reconsider. I am King Caspian X of Narnia, and I have lost my queen. She was last seen the night before in the woods. We believe her to be kidnapped. If you do not help us, then you will be partially to blame if she is never found," Caspian said loudly, his anger boiling.

The elderly man looked up at him in surprise. "King, you say?" he squeaked. "But, I- Oh, dear…" He looked up at the man claiming to be king. He did look royal. He had tan skin and a handsome face framed by dark, wavy hair. His dark brown eyes looked honest, if not a slight bit impatient. "Look, I still don't believe you, but since you're insistent, I'll let the mayor decide what course of action to take." He stood up, pushing his chair aside. "If you'll follow me."

_H_e led them down a dimly lit hall and to a small office at the back of the building. _Let the mayor deal with this. I don't have time for drunken fools who believe in magical lions and fairylands_, he thought to himself, knocking on the door and calling out to the mayor. "Important visitors." He opened the door and allowed the group in. Behind the two men was a shorter one. _Midgets, too? I've seen it all today! _He shuffled away, going back to his work. As he approached his desk, he happened to glance into the reflection of his shiny, golden award he had won last year for the fishing tournament. It sat on his desk, a constant reminder of his feat. He smiled to himself, puffing out his chest. The shiny metal gave off a distorted reflection. The elderly man looked into it, smiling brightly at the sight of it. Suddenly he imagined that he saw the face of a lion staring back at him with golden eyes. Jumping back, the man gave out a shout. He looked back at the trophy frightfully, but the reflection was now of his own ruddy face. Shaking his head, he went back to his work.


	8. Chapter 8

Part Eight: Escape

The ship swayed back and forth as gentle waves hit its sides. Eve sat awake on her cot, staring blankly ahead at the bars that kept her captive. Her fist was bruised from her spout of anger earlier that night, but she ignored the pain. Despite her subdued appearance, her mind was at work, desperately trying to think of a way to escape. Everything was quiet and still on the deck above her. She thought that the crew had probably turned in for the night, sleeping in the hammocks she had seen straight below deck. She stood up on the cot, putting an ear against the wooden panels of the ceiling. Sure enough, she could hear the loud snoring of the crew above her. Satisfied, Eve put a hand to her hair, pulling a small, golden pin from it. She tugged it away from her golden locks, and held the pin before her as if it was a key. Philip had taught her years before how to pick a lock. Heaven knew when it would come in handy at home, but here. Eve thanked Aslan that she had brought along hairpins to tie up her long hair.

She tiptoed across the cell, the pin gripped carefully between her fingers. Slipping her wrist out of the cell, she inserted the pin into the lock. Wriggling it around carefully, Eve waited patiently for the 'click' she knew she would hear if she succeeded. After a few minutes of careful picking, she heard the lock click. Replacing the hairpin, Eve slowly pushed open the door, carefully not to make a sound. Slipping out from behind the bars, Eve slipped up the stairs and onto the second level of the ship. The snoring was suddenly very loud. She looked around cautiously; making sure every crewmember was asleep. When she was sure, Eve crept forward, past the sleeping figures and up the stairs onto the deck. She looked around quickly, making sure no one would see her escape. A lone man stood guard, but his back was turned to her. Eve slipped across the deck and to the rail. The ship was anchored out to sea.

Eve felt sickened at the sight of the water. There was no way she could be able to swim all the way to shore! She had never been a strong swimmer to begin with. Eve looked around for a rowboat. She found two, but there was no way to release the boat into the water without drawing the attention of the crewman. Thinking quickly, Eve noticed a row of barrels. She hurried over to them, opening the closest one. It was empty. With a deep breath, Eve heaved the barrel over the side of the ship. As she predicted, it made a loud splash, but before the crewman could see her, Eve jumped over the rail and into the seawater after it. She choked slightly as water entered her mouth. Taking a deep breath, she kicked out and swam toward where the barrel had landed, grabbing onto it, she let it float away with her, giving out an occasional kick to move it along.

By now some of the crew had gathered on deck. She saw Captain Brough standing there, a smirk on his face. Though she was hidden behind the barrel and was more than halfway submerged in the icy seawater, Eve knew that the Captain was aware of her presence.

"The girl is gone." She heard one of the men say to the Captain. Captain Brough kept his gaze fixed firmly on the barrel. He turned to one of the crewmen, speaking something that Eve could not hear. The crewman nodded. Eve felt a trill of fear. What would happen to her now? Would they pursue her? As if in answer, she saw the rowboats being lowered. Eve kicked out, pulling the barrel along after her. Gasping for breath, she swam on. Her body began to feel numb in the bitter water, and her strokes grew weaker. Suddenly a warm air blew over her like the breath of a lion, and a wave rose up, pushing her quickly toward the dark shore. She felt sand beneath her feet and stood thankfully, running toward the shore, leaving the barrel floating in the shallows. She felt water clogged and heavy, her clothes sagging.

"Thank you," she whispered into the night. She looked back to see two overturned rowboats. The crewmen were bobbing in the water, trying to turn over the boats. Eve ran quickly along the shore, ignoring the tiredness that filled her limbs. She waited for the familiar docks to come into sight but instead an unfamiliar city rose up before her. Dismayed, Eve realized that the ship had sailed away from where she had entered this land. It had sailed her far away from Caspian and from Philip, and now she was lost.

…

The mayor looked up from his paperwork to survey the newcomers. He felt a twinge of annoyance at his secretary. He had after all asked him not to disturb him tonight. He was behind on his paperwork as it was.

"Yes?" he asked. "You wish to speak with me?" He stood, shaking the hand of a young man with sandy blonde hair.

"Yes, you see, Sir, my sister is missing," the young man cut straight to the point.

"She was last seen in the woods just outside of the city," another man added, stepping forward. He had dark hair and dark eyes. The mayor saw a deep pain inside of his eyes.

"And she disappeared?" he asked. "Or do you believe someone took her?"

"The latter. She never would have run off," the first man replied.

The mayor looked down on the other companion. He was short with a long red beard. A dwarf? The mayor shook his head, smiling up at the young man. "My dear Sir, I wish to help you very much, but I'm afraid I don't know how I can be of much help."

"We're not from around here. Do you know if there's anyone who would kidnap a young girl?" the young man asked.

"I suppose there are some who might commit such a crime." The mayor entwined his fingers, thinking hard. "I'd like to think our town respects our laws as much as I do, but I know that I would be wrong. You say that you are not from around here?" he inquired. "Are you from Glenshore?"

"No, we are from Narnia," the second young man answered.

The mayor took a step back. "Narnia?" he asked, checking that he had heard correctly.

"Yes."

A burst of golden light flashed through the mayor's memories. A golden lion…he remembered. It was all coming back to him now.

He was a younger man back when it happened. His hair was full and blonde and his face shone with happiness and youth. He had been walking along the shore one day when he had seen a great, golden lion. Thinking he was dreaming, he pinched himself, but the lion was still there. He blinked, but the lion did not disappear.

"Why do you doubt what you seen, young one?" the lion had asked him in a voice that was as clear as a bird singing.

"I-I…" the man had stammered. He had begun to feel very afraid. Lions, you see, were never seen in these parts. There were rumors of them far away, in some other land beyond the sea. They were a thing for children's tales. "I must be dreaming," he had said to himself, still not believing his eyes.

"You are not dreaming," the lion had answered.

"Then you are not real," the young man insisted.

"I am as real as the hair on your head," the lion had replied.

The young man took a tentative step forward. "Then how can you talk? Why are you here?"

"I can talk because I have important things to say, and I am here because I must speak of something important to you." The lion had shaken his long, golden mane, and as he did so, the young man felt a warmth cross over into his heart.

"What is that?" he asked, seating himself on a log across from the lion.

"This town needs guidance. It needs a leader. You are that leader. You must guide these people as if they were your own children. You must nurture this town as if it was built by your very hand. One day you will know why." The great lion had stood, stepping forward to place a great paw on the young man's shoulder.

Though any normal man would have felt fear and run, this young man stayed where he was, feeling at complete ease with the great lion.

"Do you promise?" the lion asked.

"I do."

The lion breathed on the man, spreading a sweet scent through the air. He smiled, if you can imagine a lion doing such a thing, and then turned to leave.

"Wait, great lion, what is your name?" the young man asked.

The great, golden lion turned back. "My name is Aslan."

"Then by the Great Lion, Aslan, I swear to lead my people like a flock of sheep and watch over my land like a bird watches over its nest." He held his hand to his heart as he spoke. He closed his eyes for a moment, but when he opened them again the lion had disappeared. The young man looked all around for him, but there were no signs that the lion had even been there.

"By Aslan," the mayor said under his breath. "Then you've come at last."

…

Eve trudged up the hill before her, shivering as the wind turned her body to ice. She wished she had a change of clothes. She feared she would freeze before she reached the warmth of the city before her. Dawn had reached the land, but the sun had let to warm her. She edged close to the gates of the city, peering in. Tall buildings decorated a hillside, and a stone pathway led up to a tall castle that stood sentinel over the whole city. Eve squared her shoulders and walked into the city. No one tried to stop her or even took notice of her though the city bustled with life. Eve quickly slipped into the crowd, fearing that Brough and his men had reached land. She passed many buildings and even some inviting inns, but she was determined to reach the castle. She knew that she would be at risk unless she could find somewhere protected to stay.

Her legs grew weary as she walked up the hill, but she finally reached the castle gates. Two guards stood sentinel. They looked down at her questioningly.

"I wish to speak with the ruler of this city," Eve said, holding her head high. Her clothes were mostly dry, but she was sure that she looked bedraggled after swimming such a length.

"And who would like to speak with the king?" one of the guards asked.

"I am Queen Eve of Narnia," Eve introduced, hoping these people had heard of Narnia. By the blank looks on their faces, she supposed they hadn't. "I'm traveling with the king, but I'm afraid we were separated. I need to find him." She hoped the guards found her convincing.

"Very well, you may speak to the king," one of the guards answered finally. "Follow me." The gates were opened, and Eve was led down a brightly lit hall and through a set of double doors.

An intricate throne made of wood stood at the end of the room. A long length of rug ran up to the throne. Many windows decorated the walls, letting in the bright sunshine from outside. A few of the windows were cracked open, and Eve could hear the sea down below, crashing against the shores.

"King Glenshore. May I present Queen Eve of Narnia." The guard bowed and left the room.

"Greetings, Queen Eve!" The king stood to take her hand, kissing it lightly. "And to what do I owe this great pleasure?" he asked genially.

Taken aback, Eve asked, "Then you've heard of Narnia?"

"Of course!" The king beamed down at her. Eve felt instantly warmed to him. He reminded her of her great uncle Kirke back in England. He had a tall, spindly frame and a sprout of grey hair protruding from his head and chin. "Most believe it's just a children's tale, but I know better." He touched his nose lightly with one finger. "You look as if you've just survived a storm! Come! My daughter is about your size. I'm sure she can spare you an outfit. And after you're done cleaning up, you must join us for supper." The king led Eve down a hall, stopping at a small, oak door. He knocked, calling out, "Fiona, I have a visitor!" The door opened wide and a small girl beamed at Eve. She was very pretty with long, chestnut tresses and rosy cheeks. "May I introduce Queen Eve of Narnia."

"It's a pleasure!" Fiona cried out, taking Eve's hands and pulling her into the room. "My goodness, you look as if you swam here!" She laughed joyously. "I'll have my handmaid make up a bath and then you can choose whatever dress you like." She turned to call out to her handmaid. "A warm bath, Lily, if you please!" she asked.

"Now, then, tell me how you came to Glenshore from Narnia!" Fiona asked, pulling Eve toward a sofa.

"Well…" Eve took a deep breath and then launched into her story.


	9. Chapter 9

Part Nine: Glenshore

Silence hung in the air. "Aslan?" Caspian asked. "Then you've heard of Narnia." He looked eagerly down at the mayor.

"Yes, my dear boy, I've met the lion himself."

"Aslan has come to this land?" Caspian asked.

"Yes, long ago when I was just a lad myself. He told me to take care of the city as if it was my flock and I was the shepherd. Then he disappeared. I haven't seen him since, at least in the flesh," he added.

"What did you mean when you said 'you've come at last'?" Philip asked.

"About a year ago he came to me in a dream. He said that one day soon a king and queen of Narnia would come here to Caván. He said that I would have the power to help them. Are you the king?" he asked Caspian.

"I am King Caspian X," Caspian replied. "Then you can help us find Eve?"

"The missing girl, I presume? I certainly can try." He closed his eyes for a second. "Come to think of it, Captain Brough has been in town. He's trouble. He's been known to take pretty women aboard his ship, perhaps he has taken the girl."

"Captain Brough?"

"Roughish young fellow, some call him a pirate. He's quite harmless, but that doesn't mean he'll hand young Eve straight over. He'll expect gold, and lots of it."

"That's not a problem," Caspian replied. "Where can we find him?"

"Well, I thought I saw his ship leaving port just last night. He looked as if he was headed toward Glenshore. That's the city just up the hill. If you make for the city, you might be able to catch him. I'm sure he won't take her far. Most likely he learned she was a queen and wants gold in exchange for her release."

"We'll head there straight away. Thank you for your help."

The mayor nodded solemnly. "I do hope you find her. It has been a pleasure meeting you."

After they said their goodbyes, the company headed out of the building, past the secretary who cast nervous glances in their direction, and out onto the street. They asked directions to Glenshore and headed north as quickly as they could.

…

"I feel as if I've been a terrible nuisance to them the whole journey," Eve told Fiona as the princess helped her into a dress. Eve smiled at the reflection in the mirror. The dress was a creamy white with a simple bodice and flowing skirt.

"Oh, no, you've just had bad luck," Fiona consoled her.

"I'm cursed, more likely," Eve responded.

"So, you say that you weren't from Narnia before. What do you mean by that?"

"I was born in London." Eve began to explain how she had been a student and how she and Philip had been in the automobile accident. "We died in our own world, but we were given a second chance at life in Narnia."

"You must miss your parents dearly," Fiona whispered, tears glimmering in her hazel eyes.

"I do miss them." Eve looked down at her hands to find that they were trembling. "More than you know…" she whispered.

"But you have Caspian." Fiona smiled. "He sounds handsome."

Eve returned the smile. "Yes. He was so kind to me, patient through my frustrations. Even now he believes that I'm a good queen, even though I've set our company back over and over. He believes in me when I don't believe in myself." Eve wrapped her arms around her body, realizing how much she missed him. "I suppose he's back in Caván, looking for me," she said to Fiona. "He must be so worried."

"Father has sent word out to Caván. If Caspian is still there, he'll know where you are. He's probably already figured it out and is on his way here though. Maybe he'll challenge Captain Brough to a duel. I've always thought duels were so romantic."

Eve looked up, alarmed at the thought. "I hope not!" she exclaimed. "I don't want anyone to get injured over me!" She thought fearfully back to the battle against the Black Witch, picturing Caspian lying injured on the ground, so close to death. She shuddered.

"Think no more on it, let us go eat," Fiona said gently, taking Eve's arm. She led her down the hallway and into a grand dining hall, festooned with gold streamers and gleaming gold plates and goblets. "Today is the two-hundredth year of the Glenshore family's reign over the city," Fiona explained. "Here you sit next to me," she said as she seated herself to her father's left. The king himself sat at the head of the table, his eyes gleaming eagerly as he watched his guest filter in.

"Ah, Queen Eve, I hope you are more comfortable now. May I introduce my wife, Queen Fiolla." He took the hand of the woman sitting next to him.

"A pleasure to meet you," the queen said to Eve, smiling kindly at her. She had the same long, chestnut hair as Fiona, spun up in a delicate bun. Her eyes were wide and green, shining like an emerald. Her thin, slight frame was very like her daughter.

"You too. Thank you for welcoming me into your home," Eve replied shyly.

"It was our pleasure. I've heard of this infamous Captain Brough. He's trouble. Always running off with the maids." She rolled her eyes. "He'll come around asking for gold in return for them. We tell him to keep them. Don't get me wrong," she said when she saw Eve's astonished expression, "I wish no harm to come to our maids, but the rouge won't harm them, he never does. Just shows them a bit of fun and delivers them at the port in Caván."

"You were so brave escaping him," Fiona praised Eve. "I wouldn't have had the nerves to do so, but then again, I suppose you've seen more than your fair share of danger."

"It's true," Eve replied.

Just then the doors to the dining hall burst open. "King, king!" a man ran in, panting hard as he tried to speak. He tumbled over his words as he tried to explain. "Raiders in the port! Pirates! Want the Queen!"

The king stood, throwing down his knife. "What do those rouges want with my wife?" he asked angrily.

"Not your wife, Sir, the Queen of Narnia. They say they will tear down the city if you do not give her up to them." The messenger sat down, holding his sides. "I ran all the way from the port. They're already at the gates of the city."

As the room grew quiet, Eve could suddenly hear cries from outside the stronghold. There was a shattering of glass and a loud scream. "They're burning the city!" someone cried out. "Fire!"

Eve stared out the window in horror, watching as dark smoke filled the air. Had she been the cause for all this? Was Captain Brough responsible for the attack? Eve cringed as she heard more screams.

"Batten down the castle, send out the troops! This is war!" the king commanded. At once the room jumped to life, people running in all directions.

"I caused this," Eve whispered.

Fiona took her hand. "No you didn't. This isn't your fault." Eve looked up at her and saw fear in her eyes.

"I don't have my sword," Eve said absently as she reached for her weapon.

"You're not fighting in this battle!" Fiona cried out. "It's you they want!"

"Then I should give myself up! People might die because of me, Fiona. I can't let that happen." Eve stood up resolutely. "I have to do this." Fiona looked fearfully up at her.

"No! You can't!" she pleaded.

Eve looked around the room. The king had left to command his troops while the queen moved to the safe room. "You should go with your mother. I'll be alright," Eve told Fiona. "Go!" With one last pleading look at Eve, Fiona hurried out of the room. Eve looked around. Surely there was an armory close by. She ran down the hall and to the left, opening doors as she went. Finally, she found a large room lined with weapons. Grabbing a sharp broadsword and a matching sheath, she laced the belt around her waist. She also threw a quiver around her shoulder, grabbing a bow as she went. She left the castle by a back entrance, edging around the cliff the castle stood upon. She peered around a corner, looking down on the scene before her. It was an utter disaster. Small fires burned away at random houses, carts were overturned, people were running to and fro, and soldiers were fighting a stream of rugged looking pirates. Eve didn't recognize the men, but she knew Brough must be behind it. Who else would know of her presence in Glenshore?

Climbing down the cliff, Eve set her feet on solid ground, slipping behind a boulder and observing the scene from a closer vantage point. She didn't see the Captain anywhere, but then again, he was the type to let his men do his dirty work. Eve watched as a nearby soldier was struck down by a heavy blow to the head. With a surge of anger, Eve leapt out from her hiding place and stabbed the enemy before he could finish off King Glenshore's soldier.

Eve threw herself amidst the battle, taking down as many men as she could. The king's soldiers threw her surprised looks, but she ignored them. Suddenly a new surge of pirates hit the group she was fighting with. Men began to fall around her, and she was left vulnerable. Just before two men rushed her, Eve felt a tug on her arm and was dragged from the scene before the two enemies could strike. She tripped into a small cottage, falling onto the hard floor. Dazed, she looked up to see who had pulled her out of danger.

"You!" Eve stood up, stabbing her sword toward the man who stood before her.

"Whoa! Hold on now!" The man dodged her blow, grabbing her hands and twisting the sword out of her grasp. "Didn't I just save you?"

"You sent these men to attack! Who else would have known I was here?" Eve accused.

Captain Brough laughed. "I didn't send them. News of your arrival in this land has spread like wildfire. One of my… not so friendly acquaintances thought you'd fetch a high price if he captured you. He's not as delicate as me when it comes to kidnapping."

"Apparently. Well, what are you going to do to stop it?" Eve asked angrily.

"You are quite the spirited one, aren't you?" Captain Brough looked mildly impressed.

"Now is not the time for flattery. This has to be stopped! People are dying because of me!" Eve spat at him.

"Now, hold on. Who said anything about me not doing anything?" He raised an eyebrow. Eve glared at him. "As we speak, my men and a dozen others are edging up on the city for a surprise counterattack. But what you need to do is let me handle this… adversary of mine, savvy?"

"Fine. And what do you want in return for helping? Me?"

Captain Brough feigned a hurt expression. "Why ever would you think I'd ask for something?"

"Don't play innocent with me! I know you want something that I cannot give you!"

"The ring?"

"I don't have it. I lost it somewhere," Eve said flatly. "And even if I hadn't lost it, I would never give it to you."

A flicker of doubt crossed the Captain's face. "Well then, why don't I just-" The rest of his words were cut off as cries came up from outside. "My men have arrived. If you'll excuse me." He started toward the door. "And stay put. We can fight this battle without you."

Eve glared after him, picking up her sword from the floor and sitting on the small cot behind her. She had no intention of following his orders, but she could at least give him a head start so she could slip out unseen. Suddenly she heard new cries arising. She stood, stunned. She knew that voice. She would recognize it anywhere.

Eve ran for the door, flinging it open and running out into the open. There, near the city gates, stood three men. Trumpkin, Philip, and Caspian. Caspian looked straight at her and then dove into battle.


	10. Chapter 10

Part Ten: The Duel

Eve ran forward, fighting her way toward Caspian. She was vaguely aware of the shouts and cries around her, but she drowned them out. She had almost reached Caspian when she felt someone trip her. She went sprawling, narrowly avoiding falling on her own sword. Rolling over, she found herself looking into a set of black eyes. Helpless to defend herself, Eve felt his sword tickle her neck.

"Rapscallion!" a shout went up from behind the black-eyed man. The crowd parted and Captain Brough came into sight, rapier drawn. His eyes blazed as he surveyed the man before him. The sword lifted from Eve's neck as the man whirled to face Brough.

"Captain Brough," he said scathingly. "Last time we met you were on the other end of my sword."

"But as I remember, Fabian, I escaped unscathed," Brough replied, blue eyes flashing. "You however…" He surveyed the long scar that ran down the length of Fabian's pallid cheek. "I'll give you a matching scar today. That way you won't feel so unbalanced."

Fabian spat on the ground before Brough's feet. "Unlikely." The two men began to circle.

Eve felt strong arms grasping her and pulling her to her feet. She looked up into Caspian's face. "You're safe," he whispered gratefully, pulling her close.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Eve smiled up at him. She quickly turned her attention back to the circling men.

Fabian made the first move, leaping forward, his long black hair flying out behind him. Brough jumped to the side, parrying the blow with skilled ease. He drove his sword at Fabian, but his blow was blocked with a resounding clank of metal. The two sent their blades flying at each other and soon the swords were only flashes of silver as they flew expertly through the air. Fabian stumbled once on a shield that had been dropped by a fallen soldier. Taking advantage of his error, Brough stabbed forward, catching Fabian in the sword arm. Fabian grimaced, but surprised Brough by tossing his sword to his left hand and wielding it with as much skill as his right.

The stream of blows and blocks began again and the air was filled with the ringing of metal. The crowd had gone quiet, watching the two rouges battle. Their faces were puzzled as if they didn't know which man to root for.

Eve watched in fear, her body tense. Though she didn't like Captain Brough, she knew him to be a good person. He had, after all, brought his men in to aid Glenshore's own army. She felt ashamed for having accused him without evidence.

As the two men dueled, Fabian seemed to be gaining the upper arm. He kept pushing Brough back further, nearing the edge of the crowd. With a swift blow and a calculated sweep, he knocked the sword from Brough's hand. He sliced his sword down toward the fallen man, but Brough was too quick. He rolled across the ground, dodging the blow and grabbing the sword of a fallen soldier that lay nearby. He pulled the blade up just in time to block the blow from Fabian. Fabian continued to beat down upon Brough's sword as the Captain lay helpless on the ground. Suddenly, Brough kicked out a foot, unbalancing Fabian. Fabian fell clumsily to the ground, dropping his sword. In a flash, Brough was back on his feet, retrieving his own rapier. He flourished it forward, catching Fabian's sword as the man struggled to his feet.

Once again the two opponents circled each other, studying the other's face as if trying to guess their next move. Brough swung his sword down and then up again, each time receiving a block from Fabian. The determined look on his face reassured Eve as she watched from the sidelines. Brough began a complex series of blows, knocking Fabian's sword around and almost tearing it from is grasp. With one more twirl of his blade, Brough knocked Fabian's sword aside and out of reach, bringing his own sword up to his opponent's neck.

Fabian held up his hands. "Once again, my dear Captain, you have beaten me."

"And now I believe King Glenshore will welcome you into his dungeons," Brough replied, nudging Fabian toward the king's guard with the blade of his sword. Fabian looked angrily at Brough.

"Don't have the guts to kill me, do you?" he snarled. "Coward!"

Brough's eyes flashed and with a sudden movement, he started to bring his sword down on Fabian. Eve leapt forward, grabbing Brough's arm before he could execute the blow.

"Stop!" she cried out.

"Eve!" Caspian and Philip both yelled at the same time.

Brough turned around, looking at Eve with smoldering eyes. "Why did you stop me?" he asked.

"Haven't enough people died already?" Eve asked gently. "I thought you were a fair man. Was I wrong?" she challenged, glaring up at him.

Brough glared back for a moment and then sighed, lowering his sword. "Aye, I am a fair man," he replied. "Which is why I have decided to let you go."

Eve raised an eyebrow. "You were going to try to stop me?" she asked.

"Eve, come on." Caspian had approached, glaring at Brough. "Are you the one who kidnapped Eve?" he asked angrily, his dark eyes flashing dangerously.

"I am," the Captain returned with a challenging tone. Eve feared Caspian would duel Brough. She touched his arm.

"It's alright, he did not harm me." She looked pleadingly up at him. Caspian kept his eyes set on Brough, his hand rested on the hilt of his sword. "Cas?"

Caspian returned his eyes to Eve, letting out a deep breath. "Fine," he snapped. Turning, he called out to Philip and Trumpkin. "We should leave."

"Wait!" Caspian turned around as King Glenshore appeared. He was favoring his left arm, but his eyes shone with a happy light. "My King it is an honor to meet you. Thank you for your aid in battle. I will be forever grateful. Queen Eve as well, I see, is a very skillful fighter."

Caspian turned his eyes swiftly to Eve and then back to the king. "That she is," he returned. Eve smiled proudly to herself.

"Are you sure you must leave right away?" King Glenshore asked. "I know we are in no condition to entertain, but you can at least rest up before beginning your journey."

"That is kind of you, but I believe we should leave now," Caspian replied, placing a protective hand on Eve's shoulder.

"Of course." The king bowed his head. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Eve."

"And you. Give Fiona my goodbye," she requested. She turned to Captain Brough, pulling an object out of the bag Philip had returned to her. She flipped him small, black bag filled gold coins. "For your troubles," she said shortly. She turned to Caspian and Philip, smiling at them. "I'm ready to leave," she said softly.

The company turned, heading down the disheveled streets of the city and out of the gates. Eve looked back, watching as the form of Captain Brough disappeared into the distance. She could have been mistaken, but she thought she saw him smile.

The walk back to Caván was long, and dusk had long fallen by the time they reached the surrounding woods. They made their way back to the silver pool, lining up to jump into it.

"My ring!" Eve cried out. "I had forgotten. I lost my ring. I'm not sure when…"

"I found it." Caspian pulled the ring out of his pocket, handing it over to Eve. She thanked him, clasping the chain around her neck. "Now," he said, "let us leave this place."

The chilling sensation of the pool felt like a rush of cold water on a hot, summer day. Eve relished the cool feeling for the second that it lasted. Then she was standing on the stolid, never changing ground of the Wood Between Worlds. She sat back against a tree, feeling suddenly weary and sore. Closing her eyes, she let the silence of the forest wash over her. For once she found the utter silence calming, a relief after the defending roar of the battle.

She was aware of someone sitting next to her, but she kept her eyes shut, breathing in deeply. Sleep flooded over her and before she knew it, she was deep in sleep, dreaming vague and cloudy dreams. She heard the cries of a dozen beasts and saw foggy shapes shifting in and out of view ahead of her. She tried to reach them, to help them, but she could not seem to come near to them. The dream slowly faded until Eve began to awaken. She found herself sitting against the tree, Caspian sitting next to her, fast asleep. His arm rested around her waist, holding her close. Eve sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder and shutting her eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Part Eleven: White Fire

When Eve awoke, she was no longer seated near the tree. She looked around, startled. Caspian was nowhere to be seen. "Caspian!" she cried out. Her voice echoed around her but received no reply. A hazy fog seemed to surround Eve, but suddenly it lifted. Tall grass swayed to and fro, painted red and orange by the burning sunset. Color seemed to seep from the sky into the land, and as Eve stood still, looking around, she recognized the land.

Eve was standing in a grassy field. It was sunset and the long grass was bathed in deep orange light. Streaks of dark purple ran across the Heavens and stars twinkled lazily in the east. A warm breeze blew past Eve, and the sweet scent of the grass made her sleepy. She started to sway on her feet. Suddenly she couldn't keep her eyes open.

But this time she could keep her eyes open. She didn't feel sleepy or relaxed but sad. An unbearable sorrow had washed over her just as the colors of the sunset washed over the land. The long grass tickled her legs and arms. She realized that she still wore the dress Fiona had given her. Her feet were bare, stained red as the sun spilled the last of its colors over the earth. And then the darkness came.

And the sorrow…

And the despair…

The sun seemed to explode into a million pieces, shattering the light and the color. Grey seeped into the earth, rotting the grass and the trees. The warm, comfortable breeze was replaced by a wild, raging wind, cold and harsh as it tore at the grass. Eve felt cold down to the very bone. Suddenly the sky was alight with falling stars. Eve gazed up and then realized that they were not stars but balls of white fire. They hit the earth, sending up sprays of white flame. The grass began to burn, and suddenly Eve heard the screams and cries of many animals. She tried to run forward, but her feet were glued to the ground. A fiery ball hit the ground right next to her, but Eve could not feel the scorch of the flames. She stood motionless upon the small hillock, watching the world around her burn and perish. Then she realized she was dreaming. She'd had this dream before…

The sky was darkening; pregnant charcoal clouds threatened to drop the rain held within them. The landscape was a bitter grey, lifeless and barren. No creature stirred. The only sound was that of the wind, biting and cold, whipping the long, grey grass around and tearing up the ground. A whirling pool of sapphire light twisted and turned in the sky, as a vortex of some sort. It spun closer to the earth until suddenly, in a blinding flash, it exploded and light fell from its midst, arching gracefully as a solemn assembly of falling stars. All at once, there was a stirring down upon the earth. A number of ragged creatures came forth, leaving the shelter of their caves. They watched as the last of the stars fell to the earth and then were extinguished. There was a deathly silence and then, "The stars have fallen, help is coming." The words came from a strong creature, standing heads taller than the rest. His torso was tanned and muscular, merging gracefully with dark, liver chestnut fur. The rest of his body was in the form of a large horse. A long, wavy and tangled tail swept down from his back, cascading down to the earth where it lay across the barren ground. Tan eyes pointed up at the dark, night sky, he spoke again. "Help is coming."

Maybe this was how the beautiful land had turned to such a barren waste. Eve gazed around sadly as the last of the color and life was ripped from the land. She heard more screaming, fading softly into the distance. Eve too screamed, but her voice made no sound. The sorrow began to overwhelm her, and she began to cry. Her tears dripped like raindrops, hitting the earth and extinguishing the fire. She looked around, hoping that the fires had ceased, but the scene around her was beginning to fade.

Eve woke with a jolt, sitting straight up and breathing hard. "Eve? What's wrong? You were screaming." Eve turned to see Caspian sitting next to her. His dark eyes were filled with concern as he surveyed her face. Eve began to cry, burying her face in his tunic. Caspian pulled her close.

When the tears finally stopped falling, Eve took a deep breath. "I had a nightmare… A fore-dream or something. I saw this land… The same land I dreamt of before. I told you about it before we left Cair Paravel."

"Yes, I remember. You said you'd been there before during your search for Carn. You said it was a sort of enchanted land that made you sleepy, but in your dream it was destroyed and barren…"

"Yes, yes, that's what I dreamt about again. Only this time, I was there. I was dreaming, but I was really there, watching the land being destroyed. I heard the creatures screaming. I couldn't do anything to save them…"

"Did you see who or what was behind the destruction?" Caspian asked, frowning.

"No. Balls of white fire began to fall from the sky. The earth caught fire, the grass died, the trees fell over… It was as if the land just started to rot."

"To rot?" Caspian furrowed his brow.

"Do you know what sort of creature could do that?" she asked.

"Perhaps. There are some creatures that can rot away a land. They are very powerful and almost unheard of. When I was younger, my professor mentioned them. They're called Death-Demons. They feed off of the very land, sucking the life out of it until it turns to a barren wasteland. They do share some of the same qualities as witches, which would explain the white fire."

"There was also this sort of vortex in the sky… After it burst, stars fell to the ground and the centaur said that help was coming."

"When a Death-Demon steals life from a land, he leaves a sort of mark. This mark can hold part of the life, storing it for when he gets hungry."

"How do you kill them?" Eve asked.

Caspian looked surprised. "You aren't thinking of trying to kill it, are you?" he asked. "I read a few legends about how you can kill a Death-Demon. I do not believe anyone has ever tried. You must steal back the center of life. You see, each life form has a very center of life, without it, you cannot hope to have any life. If you somehow give the center of life back to the earth, then you may be able to restore it and perhaps kill the Death-Demon as well."

"How would you find the center of life?"

"Well, it is said that the center of life is saved until the last part of the destruction. The Death-Demon feeds on it last. It is usually stored in a certain object, something that can protect and preserve it until he is ready to feed on it."

"So someone has to have tried to face one before. I mean, if they knew all this information-"

"The information could just all be a legend," Caspian cut in. "Just because I read about it does not mean it is true."

"But you said-"

"I said perhaps," Caspian interrupted her. "We're not going after this Death-Demon if it does exist."

"Those creatures could die."

"Eve, I'm sorry, but they probably already did…"

"We can't be sure." Eve choked back tears. The urge to find these creatures and free them was so strong; it was almost as if it were her destiny. "I've dreamt about this land more than once. The centaur said help was coming. What if we are the help?"

"Eve, we can't be sure…"

"Not if we don't try." Eve glared defiantly up at Caspian. "What do you want to do, turn around and head back to Narnia?"

"No, of course not. I just don't think it's wise to take on something this powerful. If a Death-Demon does indeed exist."

Eve huffed, standing and straightening out her dress. She noticed Philip sitting across the clearing, sharpening his sword. Trumpkin was preparing a meal, and Reepacheap was wandering around the pools as if smelling out the right one to venture into next. Eve felt suddenly drained. All of their adventures so far had not been for anything. So far they had not helped anyone. Sure, they had fought against the rouges that had attacked Glenshore, but they had attacked because of her. Feeling miserable, Eve went over to sit next to Philip.

They sat in silence until Philip laid down his sword, the blade sufficiently sharpened. "What's on your mind, Sis?" he asked.

Eve hesitated and then recounted her dreams for Philip, including the information Caspian had shared with her about the Death-Demon. "He'll never let me help these creatures."

"Then why don't you go alone?" Philip suggested.

"What?" Eve looked up at him, astonished. "But I'd never make it through alive if I went alone!"

"Why not? You're a great fighter with plenty of logic. And it's you, not us, who's been having the dreams. Maybe if we were meant to do this together we would be having the dreams too." Eve sat in silence, contemplating in his suggestion. Could she really save these creatures alone? She felt unsure, scared. But she had, after all, defeated the Black Witch on her own. Well, save for Aslan's aid. "Death-Demon, blimey." Philip gazed up at the blank sky.

"Have you heard of them?"

"No, never." He looked down at her. "They sound tricky. I've read all about dark creatures, but I never came across this one."

Eve sighed. "I'd never find the courage to do this on my own. And I don't want to go against Caspian's will."

"Sometimes you just have to do what's right no matter what anyone else thinks."

Eve sat in silence, letting her brother's words sink in. Could she really be brave enough to do this alone? One thing was certain: she wanted to help the creatures from her dream more than anything else. She felt as if it were her destiny. Maybe it was. Maybe it was hers and hers alone. Taking a deep breath, Eve tried to be brave.


	12. Chapter 12

_Author's Note: 9-14-09 Sorry for the super long delay in getting this chapter up. I've had to start working overtime at my job, and I started my sophomore year of college, so I've been really busy. I'll try to keep writing at a regular pace, but I won't make any promises. Thank you to all of my readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter._

Part Twelve: The Land of Broken Tears

She stood at the edge of the next pool, staring at her own reflection in the silver water. Her blue eyes stared back at her, fear showing within them. She knew that the land she sought was within this pool. Every instinct told her so.

"Eve?" Caspian came up beside her, his dark eyes betraying his concern. "I am sorry that I was so blunt before. I had forgotten for a moment that it is my duty to help others no matter the danger to myself."

Eve looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears of joy and relief. "Then you'll come?"

"I would not have left you to go on your own, if that is what you mean. It is my duty to help these creatures if they are in trouble." He took her hand. "You were right all along. A true queen of Narnia, willing to risk her life for another."

Eve blushed at the compliment. "It's this pool. I know that it is."

Caspian did not question her. "We'll prepare to leave," he said, turning to inform the others. "The world we head into is in peril," he explained. "We believe a Death-Demon has taken over the land."

Trumpkin and Reepacheap muttered under their breath at these words. "We cannot hope to defeat a Death-Demon," Trumpkin said gruffly. "Death itself cannot be destroyed."

"I believe that Eve will destroy it," Caspian said, turning to Eve. She started in surprise. "Eve alone has dreamt of this land. I believe her dreams are telling her that she is the one who will save this land and the creatures within."

"What dreams?" Trumpkin asked.

Eve explained the dreams, telling every detail that she could remember. "The creatures looked as if they were Narnians," she added. "There was a centaur who seemed to be their leader."

"Still sounds like a bunch of nonsense," Trumpkin muttered. "But if there are Narnians in danger, then I will come with you."

"My sword is at your service," Reepacheap said, bowing low.

"I've always believed you, Sis," Philip said stepping up.

"Then by Aslan, we will venture into this land."

This time the icy sensation lasted longer than ever before. Eve felt herself suffocating as the pressure sucked the air from her lungs. The chill that crept through her bones was nearly unbearable. Just as she thought she would die, she breathed in deeply and found herself able to inhale. Opening her eyes, Eve choked in surprise. Even though she had visited the land many times in her dreams, the shock of being there was overwhelming. An acrid stench of burnt trees and grass filled the air. The air itself was hazy and clouded as if contaminated. The ground was charred and very little grass remained. Ahead of them an entire forest spanned, all of the pine needles burned away so that the trees stood as skeletal sentinels over the wasteland. Eve sucked in her breath, finding herself suddenly dizzy. Caspian put a hand under her elbow, steadying her.

"It's so much worse than in my dreams…" Eve whispered, tears gathering in her eyes.

Caspian nodded. "I only hope we are not too late." The others remained silent as they took a few steps forward.

The land was utterly still, and not a noise could be heard. Eve found herself opening her senses for any signs of life, but no matter how hard she listened, she could hear only the soft footfalls of the company.

"Where are they?" Philip muttered. Eve could tell by his voice that he was worried.

"I don't know." Eve felt herself move instinctively forward. The others followed, Caspian keeping close to her side. Suddenly the ground fell away, and Eve found herself standing on the edge of a hillock. She remembered this place. The creatures had come out of the ground. "Caves," she said to herself, jumping down from the hillock and peering into the dark entrance to a cave. The others followed, and Eve could feel their tenseness as they crowded around her. Reepacheap hopped onto her shoulder to get a closer look.

"I don't like the looks of that," Philip admitted. "I've never been too fond of caves."

"This is where they lived," Eve told them. "It's the only lead we have. We have to at least look."

"Eve is right," Caspian agreed. He sent Trumpkin and Philip to gather some branches from the forest in which to make torches from. Philip then tore the sleeve of his spare shirt, wrapping the white fabric around the tops of three torches. He set his face in determination and began to rub the edge of the branch against the stone side of the cave. After a minute, sparks flashed and the fabric caught fire. He quickly spread the fire to the other two torches and handed them off to Caspian and Trumpkin. With a deep breath, he entered the cave, the others following close behind. Eve peered ahead, her hands trembling as they were swallowed up by the darkness. The torchlight cast distorted, flickering images onto the cave walls, giving the cave an eerie look. Philip led the way deeper into the cave and they found that it was quite long and deep. The pathway sloped downward and soon they could not see the dim light from the head of the tunnel. Eve felt lost, but she kept her wits, knowing that many lives relied on her. Finally the cave opened into a wide cavern with many different tunnels leading right and left.

"Hello?" Caspian called out. "Is anyone there?" His voice echoed around the cave, reverberating back to them. His call went unanswered.

"Look at this," Eve said, walking forward. She motioned for Philip to bring the light forward. Along the walls there was a series of paintings. Eve ran her fingers along them. "It tells a story," she whispered. She found the start of the painting, faded with age and dust. It showed a fertile land with many different creatures, each thriving. As the pictures moved on, Eve saw a dark cloaked figure. It cast darkness into the land. She felt as if she were reliving her dreams. Eve took a step back. "These last paintings are fresh." Red paint had rubbed off on her fingers, mottling her pale skin like blood.

The others crowded around her. "Is that-?" Philip did not finish his thoughts.

"It's painted in blood," Eve whispered. "We have to hurry." She stumbled to the entrance of the cave, gasping for air. The smell of blood made her feel sick, and she rubbed her fingers on the dried grass, trying to rid herself of the bloody stains. The company rejoined her a moment later.

"There's no one there," Trumpkin told her, resting his back against the entrance of the cave. "The place has been deserted."

Eve closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the stone. "Eve?" Caspian asked in a worried voice.

"We need to find them." Eve opened her eyes.

"Where?"

Shaking her head, Eve looked at the ground. "I do not know."

They decided to camp in the cave that night after scouring the surrounding land for any signs of the creatures. Eve adamantly refused to enter the cave again but finally, with much persuasion, she agreed to camp just inside the entrance. She would not reenter the place where the paintings were. The stench of blood still lingered, casting a bleak mood over the company.

The night was cold and bitter. Eve shivered uncontrollably, huddling in her blankets, unable to sleep. Caspian lay next to her, his breathing even as he slept. The others were huddled at the other end of the entrance. Trumpkin kept first watch just outside the cave. They all agreed that they did not want to take any chances. Eve finally fell asleep as Philip arose to relieve Trumpkin of his watch. She didn't know how many hours had passed, but pure exhaustion finally overcame her.

In her dream she was traveling swiftly across the land. The cave was left far behind, and she was approaching a scorched forest. On and on she glided, the trees a blur as she sped past them. The acrid scent of fire filled the air, and the atmosphere itself was a burnt orange, filled with the fumes of fire. Eve traveled on, feeling no fear as she went. The forest dropped fell away and she was once again traveling across a burnt plain. The ground was covered with the ashes of the forest, and Eve felt a great pang of sorrow for these trees were once tall and beautiful, their foliage thick and healthy. The plain ended abruptly, falling sharply away to a cliff. A waterfall fell into the canyon, it's great rushes of water turned black with the ashes of the earth. Eve floated across the precipice without trouble. At the other side, she met with a rough rocky land that led up to tall, sharp peaks, coated with a murky colored snow. A bitter chill pierced her, but she kept on, floating through the twin peaks and to the other side. Here there was another charred forest, but this one stretched on three times the length as the other.

As she reached the edge, Eve slowed to a stop. Before her rose another set of tall mountains, but these held a tall edifice built of dark stone. The narrow windows glared down upon Eve, and the towers cast onerous shadows across the charred grassland. Eve felt fear creep into her being though she knew that she could not be seen. Loud screaming could be heard within the building. She did not have long. Very soon there would be nothing left of the land or the creatures held captive within it.

Eve woke with a jolt, her eyes flashing open. She sat up, breathing hard. Caspian stirred beside her, awakened by her sudden movement.

"What is it?" he asked in a hushed whisper. Eve looked around, surprised that the night was still deep. Her dream seemed to have lasted for hours, but Philip was still on watch, so it could not have taken that long.

"I had another dream." Eve turned to Caspian. His dark eyes held deep concern as he gazed at her. "I saw where the creatures are. We're running out of time."

"Where are they?" Caspian asked.

"Far away, across the land. There was a forest, then a canyon, then mountains, and another forest before you even approach the castle."

"There is a castle?"

Eve nodded. "It looked very fortified. I heard their screaming from within." Caspian pulled her closer to him as she shuddered at the thought. "What if I can't save them?" Eve asked, her voice choked with tears that threatened to fall. "What if they die because I couldn't reach them soon enough?"


	13. Chapter 13

Part Thirteen: Across the Ash and Dust

It took three days to reach the edge of the forest. Each member of the company was coughing by the end, their lungs filled with ash and dust. Reepacheap consented to ride on Philip's shoulder the entire way. It would not do, Philip told him, for a mouse to inhale so much ash. Years later Eve looked back on this as one of the most dreadful journeys she had ever made. Their clothes were sooty and grey, their faces streaked with ash. Eve shook her hair out, sending a shower of ash to the ground.

"This is horrible," she said the company's thoughts aloud. Her thoughts went out to the creatures whose home had been destroyed. "How could someone do this? How could someone be so cruel?" she asked aloud.

"Something," Philip corrected.

"Its just doing what Death-Demons do," Trumpkin spoke up. "They destroy, it's all they know how to do. You can bet it will be worse if we stick around here much longer."

As the company continued on, a downcast mood fell over them. The edge of the canyon was fast approaching now. They could hear its roar in the silence of the wilderness. They had not seen any signs of life. Eve shuddered when she remembered the occasional burned animals they had found in the forest; deer, squirrels, rabbits. They appeared to be normal animals such as those found in Eve's own world. Still, the thought of anything suffering sent shivers down Eve's back.

"How are we to cross the canyon?" Philip asked aloud. Eve felt a hand roughly grab her shoulder. She looked up just in time to see the edge of the canyon. The great abyss spanned many lengths across. Eve had almost walked right off the side for having been so lost in her thoughts. Caspian pulled her back.

"Careful," he warned. Eve nodded, taking his hand and huddling closer to him.

"Is there no way across?" Philip asked again. He had grown restless in the last day, eager to reach their destination. "Eve, do you remember from your dream?"

Eve closed her eyes, thinking hard. She had not dreamt for three days since they had left the cave behind. Eve wondered if the cave brought out her dreams more clearly since it was where the Narnian creatures had once lived. "There's a bridge a few miles north," she said finally. "It looked unsteady, but it reached across."

They began to head north, walking along the edge of the canyon though not close enough to look down into the deep abyss. Eve had never been particularly afraid of heights, but somehow when she had looked down into the black, charred canyon, she had been more afraid than ever before. An ominous feeling filled her heart.

Nightfall had been coming slowly since they had reached the canyon. By the time the rickety bridge came into view, twilight was full upon them. They didn't want to spend another night in the ash-ridden land, but crossing the bridge at night did not strike them as a good idea. And so they gave in and camped one more night near the edge of canyon, though not too close. Eve woke up constantly, fearing that she would roll over the edge. She was thankful when dawn rose in the east, sending welcoming rays of light over the company. Despite the gloomy clouds that hung always in the sky, the company was in greater spirits.

Philip was the first to reach the bridge. He stood at the edge, his face grim. Turning back to the company, he said, "This bridge doesn't look safe at all. I don't think we should all go over at once."

"Will it hold any of us?" Eve asked worriedly.

"It should." Philip furrowed his brown, and Eve could tell he wasn't entirely sure. But they needed to cross.

"Who's going first?" Trumpkin asked. Silence followed.

"I will," Eve said finally. At once Caspian and Philip began to protest, but she held up a hand to cut them off. "It's me who needs to get to the other side. I'm not having anyone falling to their deaths because of my quest."

"It's our quest, Sis. We're in this together," Philip corrected her.

Eve looked around at the faces of her companions. Each looked set to cross the bridge. She smiled. "Thank you. But please let me go first."

"She is lighter," Trumpkin put in. "If it will hold anyone's weight, it will hold hers."

Caspian gave Eve a prolonged look, his brow furrowed in worry. "Alright," he consented hesitantly.

"I'll be fine," she assured him, kissing his cheek and then stepping forward toward the bridge. She set her right foot on the first plank. The planks were once wide and sturdy, but now some were broken and missing. She put her other foot on the first plank, testing her weight. When the bridge held, she carefully took another step forward and then another. She refused to look down and kept her eyes straight ahead instead. One slow step at a time, she made her way to the other side. She had to step over several gaps in the planks, but each time she found steady footing on the next plank. Her luck did not last, however. As she reached the halfway mark, she found that many of the planks were either missing or broken. It would take a leap to get to the other side. She hesitated for a moment, but determination gave her the strength and bravery to continue on.

With a deep breath, Eve leaped.

…

It had been a week since the wailing had started up. All he could do was sit and listen. Seiron had done his best to protect his colony, but the evil had found its way into their cave, driving them out to travel across the ashes of their home. The cold, hard stone floor of his cell was beginning to penetrate the fur that covered the bottom half of his body. He repositioned his hooves, cringing as they clopped loudly against the stone.

The centaur looked around at his colony, straining his neck to see if they were all still alive. The chains bit against his legs, rubbing the fur raw. With a toss of his noble head, he vowed to deliver his colony to their freedom. Or die trying.

…

Caspian watched as Eve began to cross the bridge. He had half a mind to call her back. This mission wasn't worth her life. Eve went steadily forward, however, and though the bridge swayed, it did not show any signs of giving out. Just as Eve reached the halfway mark, she stopped. Caspian watched worriedly as she hesitated. What was wrong? Then she leapt. He watched, unable to move for fear. He was so sure he would see her slipping through the wood, falling to her death miles below. But she made it.

"There must be a gap," Philip said aloud, startling Caspian. When he looked back, Eve had made it to the other side. She waved to show it was safe. "Who's next?" Philip asked.

Trumpkin followed and then Philip. Caspian had agreed to go last, sending Reepacheap to ride on Philip's shoulder. When all were safely across, he set foot on the first plank. Suddenly there was a loud grow from behind him. Eve and Philip began to yell, shouting warnings he couldn't hear over the roar of the waterfall. It sounded like 'Run!'

Turning around, Caspian saw a pack of six black wolves. Their fur was turned black by the soot. Their eyes were a bloodshot yellow. They looked hungry. Caspian noted that these were no Narnian wolves; they were unable to speak. With a jolt, he realized that the wolves meant to chase him. He turned and began to cross the bridge, going as quickly as he dared. He doubted that the wolves would pursue him across, but he was wrong. Hunger must have driven these wolves because they began to run toward the bridge, barely hesitating as they stepped onto it. The bridge creaked under the weight. He sped up, skipping steps as he went. The bridge began to creak more loudly and several of the planks cracked under his weight as he ran. He could hear the wolves close behind, panting loudly. Eve was yelling from the distant edge of the canyon. Setting his eyes on her, Caspian began to sprint, leaping the gap at the halfway point and running on before the weight of his landing split the plank. He looked back once, hoping the gap had deterred the wolves, but they ran on doggedly, gaining on him with every stride. Their yellow eyes were wild with hunger. Caspian suddenly felt a great shudder as the bridge took on more weight than it could handle. The ropes began to break, strand by strand. Caspian realized that if he didn't reach the other side, the bridge would be gone in a matter of seconds. He ran as quickly as he dared, but before he could get much further, the rope let loose the last strand that had been keeping the bridge together. Grabbing onto the side railing, Caspian barely caught himself as the bridge flipped to the side. With a yelp of fear, the wolves were tossed overboard and into the canyon. Caspian closed his eyes, trying to ignore the desperate howls that echoed through the abyss. The bridge was now creaking loudly as the rope grew frayed. He could just hear Eve's screaming above the waterfall.

"Hold on!" she was screaming over and over. He looked up at her just as the final rope tying the bridge to the opposite side gave way.

…

Eve watched in horror as the ropes holding the bridge gave way. With a cracking, the bridge swung forward, carrying Caspian with it. "NO!" she screamed, running forward. Philip caught her, holding her tightly. "Caspian!!" she yelled, tears streaming down her face. "No, no, no…" she whispered.

They stood in silence for a minute. Nothing moved. Eve began to sob into Philip's tunic. Caspian was gone.


	14. Chapter 14

Part Fourteen: Lion's Tears

Eve felt Philip tugging her away from the cliff, but she wouldn't budge. Her legs couldn't move. This was her fault! She was the one who had dragged them all into this, and now Caspian was dead! Eve sobbed even louder. She thrust Philip away and ran toward the cliff.

"Eve!" Philip called after her, but she was too quick. She flung herself down where the ladder hung from the edge of the cliff. Breathing hard, Eve peered over the edge, grasping the bridge supports to keep herself steady. All she could see was the raging water below. For a second she felt hope; Caspian could have fallen into the water! But at second glance, Eve realized that he would have hit the rocks long before hitting the water. Why couldn't it have been me instead? she thought to herself. I've already had my second chance…

Eve started when the bridge supports began to move ever so slightly. The rope began to groan. Someone was climbing up! Eve gave a start, crying out. The others had reached her now and they all peered curiously over the edge.

Slowly, two hands appeared and then a head. Caspian was alive. Eve cried out in joy, grabbing his arms and helping him hoist himself onto solid ground. "You made it!" Eve cried, happy beyond measure. "I thought you were dead."

"I managed to keep hold on the ladder," Caspian replied, pulling Eve close. Both were covered in dirt, but neither seemed to mind. Philip and Trumpkin patted him on the back and then moved a discreet distance away while Eve held Caspian tight.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" she told him.

Caspian took her chin in his hand. "We might face worse yet," he warned her solemnly. Eve shook her head.

"I won't let anything happen to you," she promised, leaning forward to kiss him.

…

It took another day to reach the mountains. Eve had warned the company of the obstruction. By now, no one relished the climb. Eve could hardly walk for all of the blisters on her feet. Her boots were tight because of her swollen feet, and every step she took was ridden with agony. The air was hot and breathless, the ground choked with ashes. Despite their dismay at having to climb the mountains, they all agreed that the snow might be a nice change of climate.

They began their ascent the next morning, trudging up the steep foothills and onto a ragged pathway that led, more or less, straight through the mountains. Halfway up they were met by a bitter chill that sent goose bumps running up Eve's arms. She huddled further into her cloak, moving closer to Caspian for warmth. Reepacheap burrowed deep in Eve's hood. His sleek fur was no match for the cold.

They spoke very little on their journey through the mountains, finding that they needed to preserve all the breath they had for the thin atmosphere. They traveled on through the night and reached the other side as dawn peaked. All were thoroughly exhausted, but the mood was lighter now that they had the mountains behind them. Another forest spanned before them, and Eve remembered from her dream that this forest was three times the length of the first. As she spoke this aloud to the company, Caspian frowned.

"We will not be able to save anyone at this rate," he said darkly.

Everyone grew somber again. "I know I'm not alone when I say my feet hurt like crazy," Philip put in.

Eve felt panicked. Was the company beginning to lose hope? Desperate to keep their spirits up, she said, "Perhaps Aslan will help us."

They all turned to look at her, doubt clouding their expressions. "Does Aslan even roam these lands?" Trumpkin asked.

"I dunno, Sis, he might not be able to get in here," Philip replied.

"Yes, I know he could!" Eve insisted. "He came before and saved me!" She looked around indignantly. "I know he'll help us now." Though she spoke with confidence, doubt nagged at her hope. Would Aslan really come to help? Surely he would have appeared already?

"Well, one thing we know for sure is that we need rest," Philip said finally, cutting into the silence that had followed Eve's idea.

…

That night Eve lay awake despite how tired she was. Reepacheap had taken watch having slept throughout the day before. He insisted that everyone else get their rest so that they could be strong for the journey ahead. Eve sighed. It would take them at least six days just to travel through the forest. Surely there was another way…

She hadn't realized she had drifted off, but when Eve opened her eyes, she was lying in a field of flowers. She looked around and saw the company fast asleep. Reepacheap was still sitting on guard upon a rock. He didn't seem to have noticed the change of scenery. Eve stood, going over to ask him what was happening. When she approached the mouse warrior, however, he pretended not to hear her. Losing patience, Eve prodded his little shoulder. Nothing happened. Eve turned around suddenly. Was it her imagination or had she heard a roar?

With a backwards glance at the company, Eve headed toward the sound. The orange flowers grew on such tall stocks that Eve had to wade through them. She kept running until she found a river. She heard it before she saw it, but when she beheld the rapid water, she suddenly felt a surge of excitement. Surely they could use the trunks of burnt trees to build a raft! And on that raft they could make much quicker progress to the fortress. She remembered the river from her dream, half hidden by ash. Now the river was a clear blue, flowing unhindered by any pollutant.

"Aslan?" Eve asked aloud. There was a soft roar to her left. Eve turned to see the flowers rustle back and forth as if a large creature stood amongst them. Something silvery and bright was dripping into the river. Eve took a step closer. They were liquid drops. Eve saw now that they were cleansing the water. They were lion's tears. Eve ran forward through the flower stocks. She wanted to see the lion with her own eyes. Before she could reach him, however, she woke with a start.

…

As Eve awoke, dawn light filtered into her eyes. She sat up quickly, looking around. She half expected to see the bright orange flowers, but she was disappointed. They still lay in the burnt field, covered in ash and dust. Caspian and Trumpkin were speaking to each other a little ways away. Their expressions were worried. Eve could only imagine what they were speaking of, but she guessed they both were feeling the pressure of the journey. Eve stood and wandered across the wilderness for a short distance. Her ears met with a satisfying gurgle of water. She ran forward, oblivious to Caspian's calls.

There it was! The river! Eve ran forward to stick her hands in the cool, clear water. All of the ashes had been washed away as in her dream, and a pile of wood sat nearby. Eve turned eagerly to the others. "This is it!" she said eagerly. "We can make a raft and float to the fortress!" She watched impatiently as the others took in her idea.

"I dunno-" Philip started.

"I dreamt about it!" Eve cut him off. "Aslan was there! I didn't actually see him, but he made the river clean again. I just know this is what we're supposed to do."

"I think it's a good idea," Caspian said. "The river flows swiftly and should cut our trip in half. We'd have an easier trip, that is for sure."

"If we don't drown before we get there," Trumpkin muttered under his breath. Eve could tell by his expression that he liked the idea though.

"I think it will work," Eve insisted. "Aslan was the one who brought me this dream."

"Then, by Aslan we will build a raft."


	15. Chapter 15

Part Fifteen: Down the Rushing River

The raft was finished by sunset. It had taken all day to salvage wood and to work it into a sturdy raft. When they were finished, they stood back to admire their handy work. It was crudely built with the lack of proper tools, but it was strong and would hold all of them. Philip secured it near the riverside and they made camp close by. Eve had trouble falling asleep that night. She felt that their adventure was coming to a head. Soon they would be faced by the enemy, and she would have to defeat it. How though? How could she hope to defeat a death-demon? How could she defeat death itself? Eve was frightened at the very thought of facing it. She knew she had to be brave though. She had to be as brave as a lion.

She didn't realize that sleep had taken her. She only remembered running through a field, flushed with red poppies, chasing after a tawny tail. She awoke feeling light and joyous, more happy than she had been in a very long time. The rest of the company was in high spirits as well, eager to continue their journey. They washed up in the river and readied the raft. The water had grown rapid since the debris had washed ashore, leaving the water to flow unhindered. Eve felt fear at the sight of the water, but Caspian put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ready?" he asked, his brown eyes filled with determination.

"Yes."

The tricky part was getting onto the raft. They stood puzzling over this as the red, dawn sun filtered through the burnt forest. "It would be best if we all get on and then one of us pushes the raft into the water," Philip was saying.

"What happens to the last person?" Trumpkin asked.

"He would jump on."

"I'm not about to go jumping into a rapid river."

"Well, then don't."

Eve listened silently as Philip and Trumpkin argued back and forth. "Wait," she cut in. "Let's not argue. How about we tie the raft to a post. We can lower it into the river, get on and cut the line."

"I left my rope back in Narnia," Trumpkin said sarcastically.

"We can use grass," Eve said, plucking some of the charred strands. "It's very strong, we can tie some together."

"Sis, you're a genius." Philip began to pluck the grass, helping Eve to tie the strands together. Soon everyone was helping.

When they were finished, Eve tested the strength and then found a branch. She dug a hole in the ground with her sword, sinking the branch in and tying the grass to it and then the raft. "Let's hope this works," she said. With the others' help, she heaved the raft into the river. For a tense moment, they watched as it tugged against the twine. It held. Letting out a sigh, Eve turned to the others. "Ready?" she asked. They nodded, and one by one they jumped onto the raft. When they were all securely seated, Eve undid the tie. Philip and Trumpkin each held stout branches to help guide them away from the edge of the riverbank. As she let go of the rope, the raft surged forward, carried quickly away by the currents. At first Eve thought they would all be flung into the rapid waters, but the raft kept steadily on. She grinned. "It worked!"

"We'll make excellent time now!" Philip shouted above the rush of the water.

…

The river spray kept them cool as the noon sun rose high above them. The soot and ash did not bother them as it had before, and everyone was in high spirits. They laughed and talked as they had not done since they had left Narnia. Eve kept to herself, however, sitting to the side, watching the landscape rush by. She felt her joy slipping away as she saw the full extent of the damage. Everything was burnt. Small fires still licked angrily at the brush and forests. Everything was black and charred. Anything that was not completely destroyed sat rotting and waiting for the fire to reach it.

"Eve?" Eve heard Caspian say her name quietly. She turned to look at him. "What is wrong?"

"Even if we do save the creatures, even if we do kill the death-demon. The world is still destroyed. We cannot hope to save it." She looked sadly around her. "There is no way to repair such damage as this. It goes too deep. I can feel how poisoned this earth is."

"Perhaps we cannot save the land, but we can save the creatures. They can have a home in Narnia." Caspian took Eve's hands. "You are doing all that is in your power, you should not regret."

"How am I going to defeat a death-demon, though?"

"That I do not know." Caspian looked pensive. "Perhaps Aslan holds the answer just as with the river."

"Perhaps… Somehow I think this is up to me though. This time I must find the solution myself."

…

They made such good time in the river that soon they could see the forest thinning out. Could they have reached the end already? The river ran along the edge of the trees, twisting and turning only infrequently much to their relief. Eve had not realized that the trip would take so little time, however. She felt dread filling her heart at the thought of what lay ahead. The group fell silent as the river twisted on. They all seemed to sense that the journey was coming to a head.

As evening fell, they found themselves slowing down as the river neared its destination. It began to curve inward, cutting through a section of the woods. They debated on whether to 'dock' for the night, but before they could reach a decision, the river washed them into a dark lake. Eve looked up and saw bright lights glaring down at them. They had reached the castle. Philip and Caspian quickly rowed the raft ashore and they all worked together to heave it to safe ground. They stood staring up at the castle. Eve felt a shiver run down her spine. Outside of her dreams it was even more frightening. The towers were cruel and twisted and the stone was dark and charred as if it had been licked by flames during the destruction of the land. The windows were all well lit and glared down at them like the eyes of a jack-o-lantern. Eve felt herself trembling at the sight. The castle was built into the side of the mountain, in fact, it seemed to be built of the very mountains themselves, protruding from the harsh stone like a puppet from a hand. The lake ran right up to the side of the mountain. They were going to have to climb to reach the castle. Eve wished they didn't have to go any closer. She wished they could turn around and leave, but they couldn't. She had to be brave.

Suddenly she felt a warm breeze rush behind her, caressing her cheeks and warming her skin. She heard a soft growl and perceived a golden light that washed over her. In a second the sensation had vanished. She was once again standing in the dark, cold land. This time she was not afraid.

"Let's go," she said to the others.

"Do we even have a plan? Just waltz right in and tell him to let the creatures go?" Trumpkin asked.

"He's right, Sis, we should have a plan before we invade a demon's castle. He's not going to just invite us in," Philip added.

"I know, I know…" Eve closed her eyes for a minute. "What we need is a distraction. We need to draw the demon out of his castle so we can rescue the creatures. We need to work quickly. I'll be the-"

"Wait, hold on," Philip interrupted, holding up his hands. "You're not going to be the distraction, Sis. No way."

"Yes, I am because I know it has to be me. Philip and Trumpkin will go down to the dungeons and free the creatures. Caspian and Reepacheap will try to find the demon's power. Caspian, you said they keep the very last bit of life in an object? Then find it. With that object we can hope to destroy the death-demon. When you find it, find me." She looked from once face to the other. Caspian looked as if he was having an internal argument, Philip looked dead set against the plan, Reepacheap and Trumpkin looked serious.

"It might work," Trumpkin said.

"How exactly do you intend to distract the demon?" Philip asked angrily. "Dangle your life before it?"

"Offer it the key to all other worlds." Eve took her ring necklace, holding it out before her. "If it has no way of traveling through the pools then it has been trapped here a very long time."

"Death-demons are powerful, they will have other ways of reaching other lands."

"Not necessarily. I know it's a chance, but we have to take it. Please." She looked pleadingly at the company. "We've come so far."

"All right, but you cannot risk your life," Caspian told her, taking a step forward. "You cannot give your life." He took her face in his hands, looking into her eyes. "Promise me that."

"I promise. Remember, Aslan is on our side. I will not be harmed."

Caspian nodded, taking a step back. He turned to the others. "Let's go."


	16. Chapter 16

_Author's note: *holds head down in shame* I've been neglecting my fanfictions again. I'm sorry, dear readers. I promise I will try to keep writing and post chapters often! Things are getting exciting here, and I'm having a good time writing these next few chapters. I hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave a review, if you have time time. Thank you for reading!_

Part Sixteen: Into the Castle

Eve flitted through the shadows of the towering castle, weaving her way up toward the massive oaken doors. The ascent went smoother than Eve had anticipated. The rocky walls of the mountain were cracked and jagged, providing ample places for Eve to place her hands and feet. She looked down once, finding herself suddenly very far from the ground. Shutting her eyes, she took a deep breath and continued on. Fear pulsed within her heart as she thought about what stood before her. She knew her plan was dangerous, perhaps even folly, but she could think of no other way to release the creatures and claim back the life of the land. She hoped that the others would find safe passage through the castle. Eve's thoughts went to Caspian. She feared for him as much as herself. She had already nearly lost him once, and she had sworn never to let that happen again. Eve forced herself to push those thoughts aside, thinking only of the task ahead.

While she had been wrapped up in her thoughts, Eve had nearly reached the castle. With two more steps, she gripped the edge of the cliff and heaved herself over the edge, lying on the ground for a moment to regain her breath. The doors towered above her, and Eve felt her breath taken away as she examined the full extremity of the castle. From faraway it looked to be small, but up close she realized that it was vast, reaching high into the sky and digging deep into the mountainside. Half of the castle, she realized, must be inside of the mountains. She shuddered at the thought of those dark halls without light, hidden deep inside the foreboding mountains. Taking a deep breath, Eve stood, walking up to the doors and pulling one of them open. With a grunt, she dug her feet into the ground, finding purchase on a jagged rock. The doors were as heavy as they looked and for a moment, Eve feared she was not strong enough to open them. Suddenly a warm breeze fluttered past her ear, and the doors swung open. Eve looked back and saw a flash of gold near the edge of the lake. She was sure Aslan was close. Finding new strength, Eve took another deep breath and entered the castle.

…

Philip put a hand out to help Trumpkin to the top of the cliff. When he looked back at the lake, he realized just how far they had climbed. The castle loomed up above them, the towers casting wicked shadows across the cliffs. The moon hung like a poisonous orb above their heads, choked with smoky clouds and smog.

"That wasn't so bad," he said to Trumpkin, smiling widely. Trumpkin grunted. To be honest, Philip's sides felt as if they would split any moment. He struggled to catch his breath and then started forward again. "There's got to be a back door into the castle," he told Trumpkin, squinting into the night.

"Yes, so we can just slip in without him noticing and make off with his captives," Trumpkin muttered loudly enough for Philip to hear.

"That's the spirit!"

They continued on into the shadows, Philip feeling his way along the walls and Trumpkin peering into the darkness toward the edge of the mountains. Philip was beginning to lose hope when he felt the edge of a doorframe cut into the stones.

"Over here!" he called out to Trumpkin, pulling on the handle of the door. It wouldn't budge. He swore under his breath. "It's locked," he said to Trumpkin. Trumpkin, however, did not hear him. He was studying the side of the rocky mountains, his attention set on something Philip could not see.

"There's a passage here," Trumpkin announced, looking eagerly up at Philip.

"Are you sure? I can't see a thing," Philip stated, squinting into the darkness.

"That's because you've got human eyes," Trumpkin muttered, taking a step forward. Philip watched anxiously as Trumpkin disappeared into the gaping darkness, swallowed up by the night.

Gulping, Philip muttered to himself, "Fine time to lose your nerve." Taking a deep breath, he strode into the darkness, finding himself in utter black. "Trumpkin?" he whispered hoarsely. There was an answering call from up ahead, and suddenly the tunnel was thrown into brightness. Trumpkin held a torch before him. Philip blinked madly as his eyes adjusted to the sudden light. "Jolly good," he said, pointing to the torch. "It would do no good to go falling into holes or whatnot."

Trumpkin nodded, leading the way forward. The tunnel spanned an arm's width wide and the roof allowed Philip's tall frame an adequate amount of room to walk. They continued on for what seemed like an hour. Just as Philip was about to as if they could rest their feet for a bit, they came to the end. It was so abrupt that Philip nearly ran straight into Trumpkin. He rocked back on his heels to avoid falling. A wooden door stood before them. Philip hoped it wasn't locked and that they had not come all this way for nothing. Holding his breath, he reached out a hand to grasp the knob. It twisted and the door swung open.

…

The tallest tower seemed to emanate a cold glow that could only be seen when the moon peered out from behind the clouds. Reepacheap pointed this out to Caspian, perching on his shoulder, whiskers twitching. Caspian gazed up, his dark eyes alert. As the clouds glided across the surface of the moon, allowing a sliver of light to pass through, he saw the glow from the tallest tower.

"You are right," he agreed. "We must find a way into the tower."

"It is a long climb, but I think I could manage," Reepacheap said, trembling with anticipation.

"See if you can find somewhere to climb, I will come with you, if it is possible," Caspian said.

Reepacheap leapt from his shoulder, landing lightly on the ground, and made his way over to the edge of the cliff. He put a paw against the stone and twitched his tail in satisfaction. "These rocks are easy to climb just as the ones we came up," he told Caspian. Caspian gazed up at the tower. "If we climb the rocks, we should be able to come close to the tower. It nearly touches the sides of the cliffs." He grasped a rock and began to pull himself up, finding a place for his foot at once. Reepacheap bounded ahead, finding the best crevices for Caspian to grasp. The ascent was slow and painful. The rocks were sharp beneath Caspian's hands, and soon his skin was raw and bleeding. He fought on, trying to ignore the pain. A ragged wind tore at his cloak, catching him off guard for a moment and unbalancing him. He held his breath as one of his feet slipped from the rock, dangling into thin air. With a grunt, he heaved himself up, finding that there was an outcrop large enough for him to stand. He sat, pulling out his canteen and washing the grime and blood from his hands. Then he bound them in cloth, wincing as the cuts stung.

"I am ready," he said to Reepacheap, following the mouse as they continued their climb up the mountains. The moonlight aided him slightly, casting enough hazy light for him to see where he was putting his hands. Finally, after what seemed like eons, he found himself very close to the tower. "This is where we jump," he said wryly to Reepacheap, surveying the distance between the mountainside and the tower. He thought he could make it, but he needed somewhere to jump from. Reepacheap scouted out a little crag a few feet away, and Caspian pulled himself up beside the mouse. Gazing at the tower, Caspian noted that metal rods stuck out from the sides of the tower, forming an intricate pattern. The pattern seemed twisted and dark, somehow, Caspian thought at he surveyed it.

"I will go first," Reepacheap offered.

"Maybe you should," Caspian agreed. The mouse took a running leap, grabbing onto one of the rods with his tail. The rod held, and Reepacheap scurried along it until he reached one of the windows. He pushed against it with his paws, working the glass open. Caspian took a deep breath and jumped, barely catching the metal rod. For a moment he thought it would hold his weight, but suddenly he heard the stone of the tower begin to crumble. He swung himself toward the edge of the stone, finding a narrow place for him to crouch. As he looked down, he realized that falling would have meant instant death. Shuddering, he turned toward the window. Reepacheap had already entered, and Caspian squeezed through the gap, finding himself in a small circular room. Before them stood a pedestal, and upon it lay a round stone. The stone glowed brightly, casting a silver light out across their faces. Caspian reached out a tentative hand, grasping the pulsing stone. Though he expected it to feel icy beneath his touch, he was surprised at the warmth that spread through his body as he grasped the stone.

"This must be it," he said aloud. "This must be the last bit of life."

…

Dim lights cast flickering shadows across the dark, stone walls. Eve walked slowly into a wide entrance hall, her boots clunking dully on the stone floor. Every muscle within her was tense, expecting the demon to jump out at her any moment. The room remained still and silent, however. Taking a tentative step forward, Eve peered around. The room was completely empty save the torches that burned slowly along the walls. Something was not right. Eve skittered forward and found herself at the foot of a long flight of stairs. She started forward, finding that something drew her up the stone stairs and past the guttering torches. Her feet seemed to carry her forward as if she were being pulled by a distant force. Eve felt fear flicker at the edges of her mind, but now her curiosity overrode her fear, and she continued forward. The air was cold and bitter and as she breathed, Eve could see the air before her fog up. Goose bumps crawled across her skin, and she shivered violently. The landing came up suddenly before her, and she stopped, peering around her. She found herself in a large room, lit by a fireplace that sat across from her. A single stone chair sat before the fire, its straight back turned toward Eve. She felt her fear convulse inside her stomach, but she pushed it aside once more. This is no time for fear, she told herself. Taking bold steps forward, Eve covered the distance of the room until she stood a few lengths from the throne-like chair. She could not tell if anyone was sitting in it, and so she took one more step forward, coming level with the chair. A black form sat there, hood drawn and hands covered by the long sleeves of the cloak. Eve thought that it was asleep at first, but as she stood trembling, she perceived the slightest movement of the sleeve. Taking a deep breath, Eve held her head high.

"I am Queen Eve of Narnia, and I have come to defeat you."

The words hung in the air, tense and breakable. Eve bit her lip, feeling terrified and foolish. She thought for a moment that the demon would not respond, but as she stood, the creature began to slowly turn its head until it stared at her from within the shadow of the hood. Eve felt her hands shaking at her side as whitish blue eyes peered out at her. They were icy and cold, and as Eve stared into the death-demon's eyes, she felt a cold seep into her bones as if her very blood was turning to ice.

After a long silence, the death-demon spoke, its icy voice as biting as its stare. "I have been waiting for you," it said calmly.


	17. Chapter 17

Part Seventeen: Death-demon

"W-what do you mean?" Eve spluttered, feeling the terror send tremors down her spine.

The death-demon surveyed her, its eyes never leaving hers. Eve felt frozen to the spot, unable to move but for her shivering. "You hold the key," it whispered in a chilling voice that caught Eve's breath. It was the voice of death.

"K-key?" she stammered, stalling for time. She knew very well what the death-demon spoke of.

"Do not play games with me, little girl. I knew from the moment you entered this land that you would come here and try to defeat me. Why do you think I let you enter the castle so easily?"

Eve felt ashamed. She had been trapped by the very creature she herself had been trying to trap. "What key?" she asked again, this time her voice steadier.

The death-demon narrowed its eyes. "I see you want to play your own little game." Eve quailed at its anger, but soon the burning light in its eyes died down.

"Very well. It comes in the form of a ring. A ring that can transport you anywhere." Its cold eyes gleamed. "Just the very object I've always wished to possess. Just the very object that hangs round your neck."

Eve felt her bravery slipping. She had not expected this; she was not prepared. Thinking of Caspian, she took a shuddering breath. "Why should I let you have this ring? You will only bring destruction to the other lands, just as you have done here."

"That is true. However," the demon continued, "I see no reason for me to fight you for this ring. I can merely kill you with the flick of my finger." The death-demon flexed its hands, the sleeve of the cloak falling away to reveal skeletal fingers. The stench of rotting flesh filled the air, and Eve tried not to gag.

"You cannot touch me while I wear the ring. It protects me," Eve said. In truth, she had no idea if this was true. She hoped that it was, or she would soon find herself dead.

The demon narrowed its eyes again as if contemplating this. "If that is true, then it will be a waste of time to try to kill you," it concluded.

Eve fought back the urge to sigh with relief. Instead, she straightened her back, looking the demon in the eyes. "Where are the creatures you have bound?" she asked, feigning innocence at this knowledge.

"Far from here," the demon replied.

Eve knew it was lying, but she could not let on that she knew the truth. "I doubt that," she said, narrowing her eyes.

"Soon they will be dead, as well as your friends who seek to release them." The death-demon flicked his fingers in an off-hand manner.

Eve let out a small gasp. "That's not true. I came alone," she lied.

"I see straight through your lies," the demon replied. "You know that they are in danger, as are you. In a moment I will send my beasts down to kill them."

"Wait!" Eve cried out as the demon lifted its fingers as if to call its servants to it. Its eyes gleamed. "I propose a bargain," Eve stated as calmly as she could.

"And what do you propose?" it asked in a deathly voice hardly above a whisper.

"I give you the ring if you release the creatures you have imprisoned and let my friends and I go unharmed."

The death-demon closed its eyes as if contemplating the offer. Its skeletal fingers drummed on the arm of the throne, and Eve inwardly cringed. "Is your life really worth more to you than every other creature in every other world that I will destroy?" it whispered finally, keeping its eyes shut.

Eve gasped at the question. She felt her nerves slipping. "N-" she started but then stopped. What could she say? Of course she did not think her life worth more than every other creatures', but she had to stall the demon until Caspian could retrieve the last bit of the land's life. Tossing her head, Eve stared defiantly at the demon. Its cold eyes met hers. "I wish to have power," she said icily. "I want immortality like you. I wish to control who lives and who dies."

She could have sworn a flicker of surprise crossed the demon's face, but it was soon replaced with a look of disbelief. "You lie," it hissed.

Eve forced herself to stand her ground. "I speak the truth," she retorted, holding her head high. "I long to have your power," she added, forcing an intense longing into her voice. "I will give you the ring, but you must grant me that wish."

There was a tense silence. Eve tried to stop her trembling, biting down on her tongue until it bled. Only the merry crackling of the fire interrupted the impenetrable silence. It sounded out of place in this cold hall. Eve kept the demon's gaze, watching as he thought.

Finally, the creature spoke. "Give me the ring, and you can have whatever power you desire, oh, Queen."

…

Philip grunted as he tripped over something on the floor. He took the torch from Trumpkin, lowering it so he could see what lay across the floor. With a yelp, he jumped back, nearly running into Trumpkin.

"Watch it!" the dwarf reprimanded him. "We don't want everyone to know we're here."

Philip wasn't paying attention though. He was staring down at the lifeless form of a faun it's eyes glazed and its mouth open in horror. He felt sick and slumped into a corner to get sick. Trumpkin laid a hand on his shoulder. Philip mastered himself, turning away from the body. To his horror, he saw that the floor was scattered with dead creatures, all of whom had wide open eyes and looks of terror imprinted permanently on their faces. The stench of death filled the air, making Philip feel sick again.

"Come on," Trumpkin took the torch, leading Philip forward past the dead creatures. Philip kept his eyes on his boots, trying not to look at the gruesome carnage. They entered another room and found themselves in a dungeon. Caged cells spread out in rows, and Philip stepped forward, hoping beyond hope that the creatures within were still alive. At first he feared they were all dead and then, one of the centaurs moved his leg, his head coming weakly up to survey Philip and Trumpkin.

Lank black hair fell in a tangled mess over his once handsome face. Now his skin was scarred and bleeding, most of the wounds festering and infected. His legs were cut up and his hooves chipped. His eyes were dull but as he stared at Philip, a hope grew within them. "Finally," he said in a weak voice, "you have come."

…

The life of the land pulsed silently within Caspian's fist as he held it closer to his face. "It is hard to believe that this small object holds the entire life of this land," he said to Reepacheap. Coming to himself, Caspian pocketed the stone and turned to the mouse. "We must reach Eve and give her the stone, quickly!" A feeling of urgency had crept over him, and he feared that Eve was in grave danger. A small set of stone steps led downward in a tight spiral. Caspian nearly leapt down them, skipping steps in his haste to reach Eve. "I think she is in danger," he told Reepacheap. "I can feel it."

"How will she destroy this demon?" Reepacheap asked.

"That I do not know." Caspian was fearful that Eve would not be able to kill this creature. Sometimes her courage surpassed the bounds of reality. He quickened his pace. Reepacheap clung to his cloak, using his tail to balance as he rode on Caspian's shoulder. The stairs wound on for what seemed like eternity until, finally, they ended. They found themselves standing before a tall archway of stone. A gossamer veil hung across it, floating toward them with a nonexistent wind. Caspian felt uncertain about the archway. Hesitant to pass through, he stood, tensely waiting for something to happen. Nothing did.

"My lord?" Reepacheap questioned.

"Something is not right," Caspian told him, taking a step back.

"There's nowhere else to go," the mouse pointed out. Caspian knew he was right. Their only other option was to climb all the way back up to the tower and climb down the way they had come. That would take too long. Eve could be dead by the time they reached the inside of the castle again. Taking a deep breath, Caspian took a step toward the archway. "Perhaps I should go first?" Reepacheap asked, leaping to the floor.

Caspian felt torn. He knew it would do no good to have something terrible happen to both of them, but he could not just let Reepacheap enter the archway without knowing the consequences. "No," he finally said. "I will go through first. If something happens, go back the way we came."

"Sire-"

"I will be fine," Caspian said, holding up a hand. He was not as confident as his words but with an image of Eve in his head, he passed through the archway.

…

Eve stood tensely, hardly daring to believe the words spoken to her. "Anything?" she echoed softly.

"Anything." The death-demon rose from the stone chair and as he did, his shadow was thrown across the wall, looming over Eve like the reaper himself. She found herself shrinking. "Do you fear me?" the demon asked, its whitish blue eyes piercing Eve. She felt her breath pause and her heartbeat increase. As she drew a shaky breath, the death-demon took a step closer.

"N-no," Eve replied, silently berating herself as her voice shook. "No," she repeated, her voice stronger. She shivered. The temperature in the room seemed to be declining with every second. Her fingers were white with frost and her teeth chattered. As the demon moved closer, Eve felt fear cling to her with a menacing grip. She suddenly realized that the death-demon had lied. It would not give her anything. Despite her own lies, she now faced her own death. As the demon moved closer, she could see the fire reflecting in its eyes and suddenly, she could see her own death.

_This is it_, she thought to herself. _You've failed them all_. As she backed against a wall, the death-demon reached out a skeletal hand. It reeked of rotting flesh, and Eve cringed, feeling sick to her stomach. The demon's shadow fell across her, threatening to swallow her whole. Eve let out a gasp as the hand reached for her throat.


	18. Chapter 18

Part Eighteen: Redemption

The centaur gazed at Philip with hope in his dark eyes. "You have finally come," he repeated, his voice scratchy and hardly above a whisper.

"Yes," Philip replied, "we have come." He took a step forward and rattled the door of the cell. "It's locked tight," he said, turning to Trumpkin. The dwarf looked around, searching for something to free the animals.

"There's a key," he said finally, pulling a rusty key off of the wall. Cobwebs coated the key, and Philip rubbed them away before jamming the key into the lock. With a click, the door swung open.

"That was almost too easy," he said, glancing at Trumpkin. The dwarf nodded.

"Hurry up and set them free," he said. Philip unlocked the manacles that confined the centaur, freeing his four legs. The centaur slowly rose to his feet, his legs shaking with the effort. Philip took a step back. The centaur's black coat was dull but as he shook himself, dust showered the air, and Philip could see some of the former glory within the mighty creature.

"I am Dayian," the centaur said softly.

"Philip. And this is Trumpkin," Philip introduced.

"We must hurry. It is only a matter of time until it comes to kill us all."

Philip nodded, looking around the other cells. He was surprised to see a dozen or more faces peering out at him, hope glittering in their dull eyes. He rushed around, unchaining manacles and unlocking cells. When all the creatures had been freed, he turned to Dayian. "Follow me," he said. "There is a tunnel just this way. I should warn you though…" he hesitated as he thought of the dead creatures. "There are others… others who did not make it…"

Dayian bowed his head. "I know. I have heard them die."

Philip nodded. "I'm sorry…"

Dayian lifted his head, his eyes showing a fierce light. "Lead on," he said to Philip. Philip started forward but before they could reach the next room, the sound of howling wolves erupted from somewhere above them. Dayian's eyes flickered with fear. "The wolves! We must hurry!"

They tumbled forward, trying not to trip over the dead as they made their way to the passageway. When they reached it, Philip gave an impatient tug on the door. It wouldn't budge. "It won't open!" he cried out. Dayian heaved against the handle, but he could not move the door.

"It must only allow people in and not out. We're trapped!" Trumpkin snarled. "We'll have to find another way."

"Follow me," Dayian said, turning back and leading them toward another door. "This leads up to the castle." The howling had grown louder now, and they heard heavy paws above their heads.

Dayian hesitated. "They're getting closer," one of the fauns whispered.

"What are they?" Philip asked.

"Dark wolves. They do the demon's bidding and do not show mercy. They will kill us all!" the faun replied, fear in his voice.

"We will have to fight them," Philip said, drawing his sword. Trumpkin drew his own blade.

The faun shook his head. "Their numbers are too great. We do not stand a chance."

Philip desperately tried to think of a plan, his mind going numb with dismay. There was no escape for them. "We will have to fight," he said once more. "It is the only way."

The faun surveyed Philip and then nodded. "There are weapons just over there." He nodded toward a rack of rusty and dangerous looking weapons.

Dayian nodded slowly. "I believe you are right," he said. "We must fight, even if it is to the death."

Philip gulped. "To the death," he echoed.

…

A cold chill that gripped like death came over Caspian as he passed through the veil. His breath caught in his lungs, and he feared he would die. The cold crept into his very bones until he felt frozen to the spot. Suddenly he felt a warmth radiating from within his cloak. He pulled out the small stone, feeling life pulse from within. The cold instantly released him and he stumbled forward, passing through the archway. Catching his breath, Caspian turned back to Reepacheap.

"Do not pass," he said. "It was only the stone that kept death from claiming me."

"I will climb out the way we came," the mouse said. "Will you be alright?" he asked, twitching his whiskers with concern.

Caspian nodded, not trusting his voice. The mouse twitched his tail and scurried up the spiraling staircase. Caspian pocketed the stone again, glancing back at the veil. The gossamer fabric blew back as the breath of the dead whispered to it. Caspian turned away, walking quickly down a stone passage. It was not lit, but he could see a dim torchlight up ahead. Feeling his way along the walls, Caspian hoped that he could find Eve in time. As he neared the light, he could hear voices up ahead. He paused to listen, hardly daring to breathe.

…

Eve felt the skeletal fingers brush her neck and then pull away. She realized that she had been holding her breath and let it out, shuddering as she did. The demon turned away, staring off into the fire. Eve felt the sudden urge to run, but she stayed where she was. The demon began to speak, still staring off into the fire as if it were talking to itself.

"I once ruled over my own kingdom. I was at the peak of my greatness. None could stop me. Then He came. He banished me into a desolate waste of a land. Life was inexistent, and so I could not feed off of it. I found myself going mad with hunger and desperation. And then, to my surprise, in walked a beautiful woman. She spoke to me with no fear, offering me freedom if I granted her power. I had no intention of giving her my power but you see, she already had a power of her own. She was a witch, a sorceress; very powerful already. In my weakened state, I could not resist her. I gave her some of my power, and she set me free. She took me here, to this wonderful land, where I could suck the life out of it little by little. The more life I took, the stronger I grew, until I was once again whole." It paused, looking back at Eve with hatred in its eyes. She shrunk back. "And now you seek to claim power from me just like this woman."

"She was the Black Witch, wasn't she?" Eve asked in a small voice.

The demon's eyes narrowed in curiosity. "You know of her?"

"I defeated her." Eve stood up taller. Perhaps she could still be strong.

A flicker of doubt passed through the demon's eyes, and Eve knew that she had touched a nerve. "And now you seek to destroy me?"

Eve took a step forward. "Yes," she replied truthfully.

Suddenly the demon snapped its fingers. Out of the flames of the fire leapt a dozen wolves, wreathed in fire. They howled loudly, blood dripping from their jaws. "Then you shall defeat me alone." He turned to the hounds and yelled to them in a language Eve did not understand. The wolves charged off, their eyes filled with fire.

"W-what are you doing? Where are they going?" Eve asked.

"They will take care of your friends. No creature shall escape me." He turned back to Eve, and she saw the fury within he eyes. As it raised a hand, a long blade appeared. The jagged edges glinted in the light of the fire, and Eve felt her blood run cold. She drew her own sword, fear filling her. "You have one chance to surrender."

Eve raised her head, her eyes defiant. "No. I will fight you."

"Then you will die." With its last word, the demon leapt forward, blade slashing toward Eve's neck. She ducked with a cry, bringing her sword up just in time to block another blow. Within seconds she had fallen to the floor, desperately parrying the heavy blows. She stood no chance, she knew this. Suddenly there was a cry from the doorway, and Caspian sprang into the room, sword drawn. He tossed something to Eve, swinging his sword to parry the demon's blow. Eve felt a warm pulsing within her hand. It was the last bit of life. She watched as the stone emanated a cold light. She felt the power within. If only she knew how to use it! Suddenly a warm breeze blew past her, and she knew what to do. Set the power free… the words whispered to her over and over.

Eve closed her eyes and concentrated hard, drowning out the sound of metal on metal with the words that whispered to her. Free…free…free… She willed it to be free. She willed the land to grow green again. She felt the stone grow hot beneath her touch, radiating a light that grew brighter and brighter by the moment. The light pierced her shut eyes, and she dropped it as the surface burned her hand. Opening her eyes, she saw that the stone was glowing like a burst of cold sun. She stepped back, finding herself pressed against the wall. She could no longer see or hear Caspian and the demon as they fought. Or perhaps they too were watching the stone. Suddenly a low humming began. The pitch rose higher and higher until Eve had to clamp her hands over her ears, dropping her sword with a clatter.

She shut her eyes against the blinding light of the stone. Suddenly the room was flooded in blue light, and a wave of heat blasted at her, sending her hair blowing back and singeing her eyelashes. Then it was dark. Eve cautiously opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the small stone, now cracked down the middle, no longer glowing. The second thing she saw was Caspian lying on the stone floor, the demon's sword protruding from his shoulder. The demon was nowhere to be seen.

"NO!" Eve screamed, throwing herself at Caspian. She pulled the sword out and cast it aside, cradling Caspian's head in her hands. His eyes were shut and his face pale. Eve felt tears coursing down her cheeks, falling onto Caspian's still face. She fumbled with a bottle she kept at her waist. The juice of the fire flower was nearly gone. Eve uncorked the small bottle and let a single drop hit Caspian's mouth. Nothing happened.

"Some wounds cannot be cured." Eve whirled around. There stood the demon.

"No, that's not true. No."

The demon smiled wickedly. "There is a poison in that blade that nothing can cure."

Eve shook her head, dripping another two drops into Caspian's mouth. "No, no…" she sobbed. Caspian did not stir.

"He does not have much time. The poison works slowly, but he will be gone within a few months," the demon said, taking a step closer.

Eve sobbed into Caspian's chest, her whole body heaving as she wept. "I failed him…" she whispered. "I failed them all."

"Yes, you did."

Eve felt a sudden anger pulse through her. She glanced sideways at the demon's sword. It lay discarded an arm length away. "The poison cannot be cured?" she asked softly.

"No."

It all happened so fast. Eve grabbed for the demon sword, swinging it up quickly to meet with the demon's heart. She stabbed it straight through, thrusting the blade into the demon as far as it would go. The demon gave a lurch and then crumpled to the ground, electric currents running through his body.

Eve huddled on the floor, holding Caspian's cold hand and crying harder than she ever had before.


	19. Chapter 19

Part Nineteen: The End of the World

The floor shook as the wolves approached. Philip stood waiting between Trumpkin and Dayian. Every creature was well armed, standing ready to fight their way past the wolves. Philip felt his heart beating violently under his skin. His whole body ached with tenseness; the odds were against them. He was afraid he would never see Eve again. Gulping hard, he steadied his nerves. The howling grew closer until there was scratching at the door. Suddenly it burst open, accompanied by the sound of splintering wood, and the wolves were upon them. Philip brought his sword down to pierce the heart of one of the wolves. Loud whimpering echoed in the dungeons as the battle grew fierce. Philip fought left and right. The wolves seemed to be everywhere at once. Philip was aware of a faun falling to his left. He wheeled around, taking down the beast. Wolves continued to stream into the room, and though Philip fought with all the strength he had, it was not enough. The creatures were weak from having been imprisoned for so long. Suddenly the wolves stopped fighting. They stiffened, whimpering with piercing howls. Then they ran, tails tucked between their tails, up the stairs and away.

"What the…?" Philip stood panting, sure the wolves would be back any second. This was just a trick. It had to be.

"Have they gone?" Trumpkin asked.

"I don't know. Why would they just leave?" Suddenly Philip's thoughts went to his sister. "Eve!" He leapt up the stairs, skipping steps as he ran. The others followed, though not as quickly. Philip found himself in a dimly lit hallway. Somewhere above he heard sobbing. Tearing down the hall, he found himself in a large room where lay two figures. "Eve!" He threw himself down next to his sister, his sword forgotten. "What happened?" He noticed that she lay across Caspian. The king did not move.

"The demon stabbed him," Eve sobbed. "He's dying."

"No, there has to be a cure. The fire flower-"

"I tried. It didn't work."

Philip knelt there, aghast as he watched Eve cry over Caspian's body. He was vaguely aware of the others reaching them. No one spoke. He put a hand on Eve's shoulder and felt her body tremble under his touch. Her eyes did not leave Caspian's face.

"We'll find a way, Sis, I promise. We'll find a way." He hoped that his words proved true.

Eve nodded, accepting his promise. "We have to," she whispered.

Suddenly the room trembled as a sudden tremor shook the very earth. "What was that?" Philip asked, standing.

"The land did not make it," Dayian said sadly. "We must leave before it collapses upon itself." He took a step forward, standing over Caspian and Eve. "If you'll permit me…" With a graceful swoop, he lifted Caspian's unconscious body and rested him on his broad back. "You may ride as well; I can bear the weight," he told Eve as she trembled on the floor. She nodded mutely, and the centaur lifted her easily onto his back. Eve clung to Caspian, holding him tightly in place.

Philip motioned to the others. He noticed that Reepacheap had appeared, looking sorrowfully up at Caspian. "Come on, we need to get out of here."

"I should not have left him," Reepacheap mourned, bowing his head, his tail trailing listlessly on the floor.

"It was not your fault," Eve spoke from Dayian's back.

Philip lifted Reepacheap onto his shoulder as they began to run toward the doors of the castle. The stone around them began to crumble as they ran, showering them with debris. The very mountains seemed to shudder as they fled. As they reached the front doors, Philip threw them open, and they began the dangerous descent down the mountains. For his size, Dayian was surprisingly agile on the cliffs, jumping from ledge to ledge until his hooves drove into the soft ground of the foothills. Philip was close behind, leaping down each crag.

"How are we supposed to reach the pool before its too late?" Trumpkin called to him.

Philip felt a jolt. He had not thought of this. Suddenly Eve cried out from up ahead. "Look!" They all looked up to see the wide lake shimmering with a silvery glow. "The lake will take us home!" Just as they reached the edge of the lake, the mountains began to crumble. A fire tore at the forest in the distance, edging closer and closer to the lake. Everything was in utter chaos. "Quick, you all need to take hold of a ring!" Eve cried out. Philip and Trumpkin shared theirs with the creatures around them, and Eve handed Caspian's ring to another group. She clung to her own, placing a hand on Caspian's shoulder and holding tight to Dayian's horse body as he plunged into the lake. For a moment he just splashed through the shallows, sending up freezing water droplets up at Eve. Then with a twist, she felt herself plunging downwards, the breath beaten out of her lungs. This time she was sure she would die. A black hole awaited her, sucking the breath from her lungs and tearing at her body. And then the pain stopped. Eve felt herself sliding sideways, and everything went black.

…

When Eve awoke, she thought that she was back in Cair Paravel. She sat up and looked around. She was in a sun filled room lying on a comfortable bed with whitewashed sheets. The filmy curtains that covered the windows fluttered back and forth as a soft wind blew. Eve's long, golden hair was neatly brushed and her scratched skin was healed, as white and pure as a newborn's. She stretched her arms, pushing her feet over the side of the bed. The floor felt warm underfoot, and she walked slowly to the window. Outside she saw the sea. What a sight! Eve felt warmth spreading within her. She could remember nothing but comfort and joy. She sat on the windowsill, her feet dangling out over a small balcony. Across the sea she saw a ship, sailing slowly toward her. A lone seagull flew across the sky, eclipsing the sun for a moment. Eve found herself smiling. She had not felt such happiness in ages. She could not remember anything before waking up, just the shadow of fear that hid within her, shrinking away from the sun.

The ship had moved closer and now as Eve gazed out the window, she could see that the figurehead was of a golden lion, opening its magnificent mouth in a mighty roar. She felt her heart swell with anticipation as the ship anchored just off shore. She leapt to the balcony, leaning over the stone wall and watching as a single, great lion walked toward her, leaving deep impressions on the sandy beach. He shook his great mane, and Eve felt the warmest, sweetest breeze blow past her.

"Aslan!" Eve ran down the stairs that led from the balcony and onto the beach, running quickly across the sand and toward the great lion. Aslan's mouth spread into a catly smile, his whiskers twitching. Eve flung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his silky mane. Aslan laughed, falling to the beach, carrying Eve with him. "Aslan, you've returned!" Eve said happily, sitting back so she could look into his great, golden eyes.

"Not quite, dear one. You are dreaming," Aslan replied.

His deep voice resounded through Eve like music. "Dreaming? It doesn't feel like it."

"Just because you are dreaming does not mean this is not real," Aslan told her.

Eve smiled. "I've missed you."

"And I you, dear one." Aslan put a paw on her hand. "You have done well. You saved the Narnian creatures who had been long trapped."

Memories rushed into Eve's head, making her feel dizzy. Only the reassuring presence of Aslan kept her from crying. "But I failed Caspian," she said sadly.

"There is a way, dear one."

"A way to save him?" Eve asked excitedly.

"Yes. But it is not you who will be the one to go on this quest. Very soon someone else will come, and this someone will save him." Aslan looked calmly at Eve, and she found hope within his gaze.

"If I cannot save him, then who?" she asked.

"You will see. Your time for adventure has come to an end. Now you must live here, in Cair Paravel as Queen of Narnia."

Eve nodded slowly. "Then you're saying Caspian will be saved."

Aslan's eyes twinkled sympathetically. "The future is not set absolutely, dear one. Everything can change if given a chance."

"I understand."

"There is always hope though."

Eve gazed up at Aslan. "I know." She smiled. "I wish I could stay here forever, so far away from worry, with you," she said, stroking Aslan's outstretched paw.

He gave a catly laugh. "You cannot hide from worry, dear heart. You cannot stay in dreams forever. Now, it is time for me to go. You must lead your people home and to safety."

Eve nodded reluctantly. "When will we meet again?" she asked.

Aslan looked suddenly sad. "Not for some time," he replied softly. "But do not worry, we will meet again when the time is right."

He stood, shaking his mane and started walking down the beach, back to the ship. Eve stood watching him leave, feeling sorrow fill her heart. She blinked, and he was gone. Even his paw prints had been washed away by the tides. Eve stood for a long time, watching as the sea swayed back and forth, dancing with the wind. Finally, she turned, heading back to the room where she lay on the bed once more, staring up at the sun-spotted ceiling before closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep.


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

When she awoke again, Eve way lying on the ground, her head cushioned by a growth of moss. She sat up slowly, surveying her surroundings. She was in the Wood Between Worlds. Her companions lay around her, all of them asleep. Her eyes wandered to Caspian who lay as still as the dead. She crawled forward, tentatively touching his hand. She bit her lip. It was ice cold. Just like the demon's stare… She felt panic begin to grow within her until she remembered Aslan's words. "Very soon someone else will come, and this someone will save him."

Why couldn't it be her who would save him? What if he couldn't be saved? Eve bit her lip, trying to hold back her panic.

The others began to stir around her, opening their eyes and blinking groggily in the dim, ever the same light. Philip joined Eve, kneeling down and placing a hand on her shoulder. He did not speak, but Eve knew what he was thinking.

"Aslan came to me in a dream," she whispered. "He said that someone would come to save Caspian, but it's not me. Not this time…"

"Did he say who would come?" Philip asked.

Eve shook her head. "I'm scared," she confessed, looking up at her brother. "What if he doesn't make it? I don't think I could live alone."

Philip pulled her into an embrace. "You'll never be alone."

…

As the turrets and towers of Cair Paravel came into view, Eve felt her hopes rising. To her, they had been gone for months, years, but it had only been a few days in Narnian time. She urged Freidya on faster, keeping a firm grip on Destrier's lead rope. Caspian lay slumped in the saddle, Philip riding behind to keep him steady. Eve felt her heart break a little at the sight of his pale face.

The horses' hooves clattered on cobblestone as they entered the city. The crowds had begun to gather, cheering as the adventurers returned. The cheering died down, however, when they saw their king. Eve looked around, feeling faint and weak. All she wanted was to sink into a comfortable bed and sleep away the time until Caspian could be healed. She felt so hopeless, so helpless… She looked up across the sea, hoping that a great lion was somewhere out there, watching over them.

…

The flickering candlelight danced across the wall as Eve stared into space. Night had fallen on Narnia, and she was alone. She felt the walls pressing in on her and the cold air of the night caressing her face. She turned over, staring at the empty space beside her. Running a finger over the blankets, she felt a tear leak from the corner of her eye. She finally fell asleep, exhausted by her sorrow.

She dreamt of home that night. And when she woke up in the morning, she felt a vague hope. Help was coming.

**_The End_**


End file.
